My Story
The decision to run for office is not an easy one, especially when you have a young child at home. It is a sacrifice of the most precious commodity one has: time. Therefore, one must have a deep conviction that what you are fighting for is worth it.
My conviction was born on a night in 1977 when I was 8 years old.
In the 1960s, my parents, weary of Memphis, started searching for a safe place to raise their children—a quiet, tight-knit community with good schools, friendly neighbors, and no crime. They found it at 3232 Goodlett Street, in Parkway Village, a new community built from farmland that promised “gracious suburban living.”
And for a time, that promise was real. My childhood was filled with tree forts, bike rides, and adventures alongside the other kids in the neighborhood. Life moved at a leisurely pace; neighbors knew each other by name, and crime was virtually nonexistent. It felt like living in Mayberry.
But all of that changed when I was just eight years old.
One evening, while my father was away and my mother had run to the store, a man claiming to be out of gas knocked on our neighbor’s door. Mr. Charles let him in to use the phone. Moments later, the man pulled a gun, robbed him, and shot him in the chest.
My sister and I heard a loud bang and ran outside. We saw a man sprinting down the street and Mr. Charles lying in his yard, bleeding. Moments later, my mother arrived, jumped out of her car, and applied pressure to his wound while shouting for us to call 911. Sirens soon filled the air, and the neighborhood was bathed in blue as officers flooded the street. Thankfully, our neighbor survived, and the shooter was quickly apprehended. Order was restored, but peace of mind was not.
That night changed my life forever. It marked the end of my childhood innocence, but it also taught me something important: real heroes wear uniforms, not capes. That night also instilled in me a set of deeply held convictions and set me on a path.
That moment wasn’t an isolated event; it was the first sign that crime was creeping into our community. Over the next few years, Parkway Village slowly began to slip into chaos and violence. Eventually, my family moved away, but I never forgot what we lost—or how quickly a community can fall when safety is taken for granted.
I graduated from White Station High School and then went on to receive both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Memphis. I spent a number of years primarily as an educator at St. George’s Independent School. But there remained a calling in my soul to serve that I finally listened to it, which led me to join the Memphis Police Department.
In an unexpected twist of fate, or, as I believe, a guiding hand from above, I found myself assigned to the very neighborhood where I grew up. It was no longer the Mayberry of my childhood; it had become a battleground. Night after night, I fought—often literally—to protect families who simply wanted to live in peace and raise their children safely. I stood amidst the ruins of shattered homes, comforted grieving families, and felt their frustration and despair. For me, the struggle to safeguard and serve these good people went beyond just a job; it felt deeply personal.
During my time on the streets, my deep respect for the men and women in blue who I worked shoulder to shoulder every night only grew deeper. Few see the sacrifices they make, the trauma they endure from the devastation they witness, and the way they put their health, mental well-being, and very lives on the line. In time, I was elected Vice President of the Memphis Police Association, and it has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to stand up and advocate for my fellow officers.
It was no longer the streets where I fought. It has been a different kind of battle to successfully restore the pay, pensions, and healthcare our officers had been stripped of by careless politicians. Because if we don’t stand up for those who protect us, we all pay the price.
Eventually, I married my incredible wife, Kim. When we decided to start a family, we knew we needed a place rooted in faith, family, and safety. So, we moved to Arlington in 2018. A year later, we welcomed our daughter into the world.
Like my parents, we sought out a sense of community, and we found it. However, that peace is once again under threat.
Crime is no longer just a Memphis problem; it has become a Shelby County issue. District 1 cannot afford to look the other way. If we want our kids to ride their bikes safely, walk to school without fear, and raise families in strong, free communities, we must remain vigilant and ready to take action.
Memphis has the resources necessary to control lawlessness, but all too often, it lacks the will to do so. District 1 cannot allow our funding and our law enforcement resources to be diverted into the city of Memphis. We must stand firm and ensure that every resource and every dollar is dedicated to protecting the safety and well-being of our homes and community.
That’s why I am running for the County Commission. I have seen firsthand how failed leadership and soft-on-crime policies can destroy a community: first Parkway Village and now, sadly, Memphis as a whole.
Crime is not the only issue we must face soberly and with caution. We must also pursue economic growth—growth that does not compromise the character of our community. I believe in development that strengthens our economy while preserving what makes the communities of District 1 so special. We cannot grow simply for the sake of growth and risk inviting many of the ills afflicting Memphis.
I have a deeply personal motivation that drives me—one that I cannot compromise on. I am running for my daughter’s future. I want her to grow up in a safe environment rooted in tradition and faith where she can prosper and raise a family of her own. And I want the same for your children and grandchildren.
This race isn’t just about policy. It’s about principle. It’s about protecting what matters most, preserving what works, and confronting what threatens our way of life.
I’m John Covington—a cop, a conservative, and a father who refuses to look the other way.
I’m ready to fight for you. I’m asking for your trust, your support, and your vote.
God bless you. God bless District 1. And God bless this great nation.
The decision to run for office is not an easy one, especially when you have a young child at home. It is a sacrifice of the most precious commodity one has: time. Therefore, one must have a deep conviction that what you are fighting for is worth it.
My conviction was born on a night in 1977 when I was 8 years old.
In the 1960s, my parents, weary of Memphis, started searching for a safe place to raise their children—a quiet, tight-knit community with good schools, friendly neighbors, and no crime. They found it at 3232 Goodlett Street, in Parkway Village, a new community built from farmland that promised “gracious suburban living.”
And for a time, that promise was real. My childhood was filled with tree forts, bike rides, and adventures alongside the other kids in the neighborhood. Life moved at a leisurely pace; neighbors knew each other by name, and crime was virtually nonexistent. It felt like living in Mayberry.
But all of that changed when I was just eight years old.
One evening, while my father was away and my mother had run to the store, a man claiming to be out of gas knocked on our neighbor’s door. Mr. Charles let him in to use the phone. Moments later, the man pulled a gun, robbed him, and shot him in the chest.
My sister and I heard a loud bang and ran outside. We saw a man sprinting down the street and Mr. Charles lying in his yard, bleeding. Moments later, my mother arrived, jumped out of her car, and applied pressure to his wound while shouting for us to call 911. Sirens soon filled the air, and the neighborhood was bathed in blue as officers flooded the street. Thankfully, our neighbor survived, and the shooter was quickly apprehended. Order was restored, but peace of mind was not.
That night changed my life forever. It marked the end of my childhood innocence, but it also taught me something important: real heroes wear uniforms, not capes. That night also instilled in me a set of deeply held convictions and set me on a path.
That moment wasn’t an isolated event; it was the first sign that crime was creeping into our community. Over the next few years, Parkway Village slowly began to slip into chaos and violence. Eventually, my family moved away, but I never forgot what we lost—or how quickly a community can fall when safety is taken for granted.
I graduated from White Station High School and then went on to receive both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Memphis. I spent a number of years primarily as an educator at St. George’s Independent School. But there remained a calling in my soul to serve that I finally listened to it, which led me to join the Memphis Police Department.
In an unexpected twist of fate, or, as I believe, a guiding hand from above, I found myself assigned to the very neighborhood where I grew up. It was no longer the Mayberry of my childhood; it had become a battleground. Night after night, I fought—often literally—to protect families who simply wanted to live in peace and raise their children safely. I stood amidst the ruins of shattered homes, comforted grieving families, and felt their frustration and despair. For me, the struggle to safeguard and serve these good people went beyond just a job; it felt deeply personal.
During my time on the streets, my deep respect for the men and women in blue who I worked shoulder to shoulder every night only grew deeper. Few see the sacrifices they make, the trauma they endure from the devastation they witness, and the way they put their health, mental well-being, and very lives on the line. In time, I was elected Vice President of the Memphis Police Association, and it has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to stand up and advocate for my fellow officers.
It was no longer the streets where I fought. It has been a different kind of battle to successfully restore the pay, pensions, and healthcare our officers had been stripped of by careless politicians. Because if we don’t stand up for those who protect us, we all pay the price.
Eventually, I married my incredible wife, Kim. When we decided to start a family, we knew we needed a place rooted in faith, family, and safety. So, we moved to Arlington in 2018. A year later, we welcomed our daughter into the world.
Like my parents, we sought out a sense of community, and we found it. However, that peace is once again under threat.
Crime is no longer just a Memphis problem; it has become a Shelby County issue. District 1 cannot afford to look the other way. If we want our kids to ride their bikes safely, walk to school without fear, and raise families in strong, free communities, we must remain vigilant and ready to take action.
Memphis has the resources necessary to control lawlessness, but all too often, it lacks the will to do so. District 1 cannot allow our funding and our law enforcement resources to be diverted into the city of Memphis. We must stand firm and ensure that every resource and every dollar is dedicated to protecting the safety and well-being of our homes and community.
That’s why I am running for the County Commission. I have seen firsthand how failed leadership and soft-on-crime policies can destroy a community: first Parkway Village and now, sadly, Memphis as a whole.
Crime is not the only issue we must face soberly and with caution. We must also pursue economic growth—growth that does not compromise the character of our community. I believe in development that strengthens our economy while preserving what makes the communities of District 1 so special. We cannot grow simply for the sake of growth and risk inviting many of the ills afflicting Memphis.
I have a deeply personal motivation that drives me—one that I cannot compromise on. I am running for my daughter’s future. I want her to grow up in a safe environment rooted in tradition and faith where she can prosper and raise a family of her own. And I want the same for your children and grandchildren.
This race isn’t just about policy. It’s about principle. It’s about protecting what matters most, preserving what works, and confronting what threatens our way of life.
I’m John Covington—a cop, a conservative, and a father who refuses to look the other way.
I’m ready to fight for you. I’m asking for your trust, your support, and your vote.
God bless you. God bless District 1. And God bless this great nation.
