Every child deserves access to a quality education, regardless of where they live. I believe that starts with supporting great teachers, keeping parents involved, and making sure students are prepared for whatever path they choose after graduation. Not every student is headed to a four-year university, so we should continue expanding career and technical education, dual enrollment, apprenticeships, and workforce training. Tennessee has become a national leader in education, and we should keep building on that success by giving families opportunities and ensuring our students are ready to succeed.

Tennessee should welcome investment and the good-paying jobs that come with it, but we also have a responsibility to plan for growth. Data centers require significant infrastructure and utility resources, so the state should provide a consistent framework that protects taxpayers and existing customers while allowing local communities to have a voice. We can continue to be one of the most business-friendly states in the country without sacrificing responsible planning.

I want to continue focusing on practical issues that make a difference in everyday life. That means improving infrastructure to keep up with our growth, supporting our farmers and rural communities, protecting the conservative values that make Tennessee such a great place to live, and making sure we’re spending taxpayer dollars responsibly. I want people to know they have a representative who shows up, listens, and works hard to get results for Montgomery County and Tennessee.

Tennessee has become one of the best states in the nation to live, work, raise a family, and do business because we’ve kept taxes low, supported free enterprise, and created a business-friendly environment. We should continue that approach by attracting investment, creating high-paying jobs, and expanding economic opportunity. When businesses invest in Tennessee, they create good-paying jobs, increase competition for workers, and give families greater financial security and more opportunities to succeed. As our state continues to grow, we must also invest in the infrastructure needed to support that growth, reduce unnecessary government regulations, be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, and preserve our conservative values.

First, we must end Tennessee's school voucher program, which diverts public dollars from our neighborhood public schools to private institutions without improving student outcomes. We also need to invest more in every student. Tennessee ranks near the bottom nationally in per-student funding, and our children deserve better. We must pay teachers competitive salaries, ensure classrooms have the resources they need, and provide free breakfast and lunch for every student. When students have well-supported teachers, properly funded schools, and aren't learning on an empty stomach, they're better equipped to succeed.

The state has a responsibility to establish a clear, consistent standard that ensure data center developments benefit TN communities rather than harm them. As these facilities expand, the legislature has a responsibility to make sure they are developed responsibly by protecting reliable access to electricity and water, transparency on infrastructure impacts, and ensuring taxpayers are not left subsidizing private development without a clear benefit.

At the same time, we should remain open to economic development and job opportunities. We want to welcome investment while protecting our community members. If the community is going to suffer if the long run, then I would oppose it.

One of my top priorities is eliminating Tennessee's grocery tax. We are one of only 13 states that still taxes groceries, and our tax is the highest among them. At a time when families are struggling with the rising cost of food, taxing essentials only makes it harder to put meals on the table. Legislation has already been proposed that would replace this lost revenue by asking the largest, most profitable corporations to contribute more, allowing Tennessee families to keep more of their hard-earned money every time they shop for groceries.

Tennessee's affordability crisis requires leaders who actually care. We can lower costs by eliminating the grocery tax, expanding Medicaid to reduce healthcare expenses, and investing in affordable housing through workforce housing initiatives, stronger support for first-time homebuyers, and policies that discourage large-scale investors from buying up single-family homes. We should also expand universal Pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds to ease childcare costs while preparing children for success in school. Finally, it's time to raise the minimum wage so that full-time work provides a living wage, not just a paycheck.