Cracker Barrel Old Country Store INC PAC

Political Action Committee

Registered Jan 1990 · Treasurer: Charlie Austin · Lebanon, TN

Raised
$49,968
incl. $9,473 unitemized small gifts
Total Spent
$31,512
To TN candidates
$13,250
42% of spending
Spent outside Tennessee
$9,500
30% of spending

Where the Money Goes

Of the $31,512 this committee reported spending, the largest share — $13,250 (42%) — went to Tennessee candidates.

Why this number?

Operating share of spending compares operating spending with total spent.

Show formula

Operating / overhead spending divided by everything this committee spent (each expenditure lands in exactly one bucket).

Operating spending: $7,762 ÷ Total spent: $31,512
Inputs behind Operating share of spending
Operating / overhead spending $7,762
Contributions to candidates $13,250
Source filings:

“Spent outside Tennessee” is money this committee sent out of state — a multi-state committee’s lump non-Tennessee line plus any individually-filed out-of-state contributions (itemized below). Separate from out-of-state donors.

Contributions to Candidates

No contributions to tracked candidates on record.

This committee’s own filings report $13,250 to candidates, while tracked candidates reported receiving $0. Of the $13,250 difference, $13,250 went to recipients not tracked here (itemized below).

Its filing also reports $13,250 in candidate contributions to recipients not tracked here — federal, local, and out-of-state races, and sitting legislators not on the 2026 ballot:

  • Diane Black for Congress $5,000.00
  • Haslam, Bill $3,500.00
  • Marsha Blackburn for Congress Inc. $2,500.00
  • Steve Fincher for Congress $1,000.00
  • Beavers, Mae $500.00
  • Casada, Glen $250.00
  • McCormick, Gerald $250.00
  • Tate, Reginald $250.00

Tennessee caps what a PAC may give one candidate per election — $15,400 for statewide and House races, $30,800 for Senate races (2025–26 limits; a primary and a general count as separate elections). Registry of Election Finance limits.

Contributions to Other PACs

Contributions to other political action committees
Committee Total
Chuck Fleischmann for Congress Committee $1,000.00

Given in Other States

This committee sent $9,500 to 4 candidates and committees outside Tennessee, across 4 states. These are counted as spending outside Tennessee, not as Tennessee candidate support — Who Funds Tennessee doesn’t track out-of-state races, so they don’t link to a page here.

Contributions to candidates and committees outside Tennessee
Recipient State Total
Alexander for Senate 2014 Inc. Virginia $5,000.00
Tim Scott for Congress South Carolina $2,500.00
Matheson for Congress Utah $1,000.00
Rogers for Congress Michigan $1,000.00

Operating & Other Spending

Operating spending by purpose
Purpose Total
Administrative Expenses $4,762.47
2014 Support $2,000.00
Event $1,000.00

Who Funds It

Donors funding this political action committee
Donor Location Employer Total Given
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store INC PAC Lebanon, TN — $4,762.47
Sandra Cochran Nashville, TN Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $1,450.00
Lawrence Hyatt Franklin, TN Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $1,200.00
Michael Chissler Murfreesboro, TN Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $1,185.63
Rick Palmateer Topeka, KS Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $1,120.00
Michael Zylstra Arrington, TN Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $1,090.00
Patrick Sheehy Mt Juliet, TN Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $1,027.29
Charlie Austin Overland Park, KS Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $1,008.00
Alan Emery Franklin, TN Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $800.00
Paul Seal Lebanon, TN Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. $800.00

Filing History

Totals as filed with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance; see About for how this data is processed.

Campaign filing history
Filing Cash Beginning Cash Ending Source
Year-End 2013 Historical $32,041.51 $36,522.16 Source ↗
Mid-Year 2013 Historical $13,261.17 $32,041.51 Source ↗