Mitchell started his career in politics starting in 1992 volunteering for the Clinton/Gore campaign. He is a well known Democratic operative in the state of Tennessee. Mitchell has managed campaigns for former Tennessee State Representative Gary Moore and the late Tennessee State Senator Pete Springer along with General Sessions Judge Leon Rubin.
The primary was held on August 3, 2000, Mitchell came in second with 2,586 to David Shepard who won with 3,329. Shepard won the subsequent general election in November and still represents most of that area in the Tennessee General Assembly, although district boundaries have changed considerably due to subsequent redistricting.
In 2007, Mitchell ran for Metro Council in District 35, which includes part of Bellevue, winning 56-44. In 2011, he successfully ran for re-election, winning 65-35. Due to term limits in the Metropolitan Charter, Mitchell's current term in this office will be his final one, at least consecutively.
During the 2010 Nashville flood, Mitchell located boats for water rescues before participating in some of those rescues and worked to assist neighbors after the flood, including simplifying the permitting process that allowed residents to rebuild. He also worked to bring a new library to Bellevue, which is scheduled to open in 2014. He led the expansion of the Harpeth River Greenway, added over 440 acres of protected land to Warner Parks, brought private sector curbside recycling to Bellevue, and secured resources for the FiftyForward J. L. Turner Center Transportation Program. In 2012, Mitchell voted against a property tax increase each time it was brought to a vote.
In 2012, Mitchell ran for the General Assembly again as a Democrat, this time in the district to which he had moved following his earlier defeat. His campaign focused primarily on job creation and education. He won election and was sworn into office on January 8, 2013.
