Values
As a representative, it is my job to communicate with the people about legislation and their needs.
I am mandated to work for them.
My loyalty is to Tennessee. Not a party, foreign governments or institutions.
The Economy
I believe the economy is upstream from most social issues. Americans have lost 30% of their buying power in the last 6 years due to inflationary policies. The federal government is also going reach 40 Trillion in debt this year. It doesn't take a lot of thought to figure out why many young people are attracted to Marxist ideas. The policies of the last 50 years have favored immediate gratification over future generations. We need to hyper focus on federalism and get TN residents healthy and wealthy by advocating for trade schools, farms, infrastructure, and anything else that sets the next generation up for success. This includes harnessing AI, not fearing it. Monetary inflation is a hidden tax especially for the working poor.
Education
TCAT, TN Promise, and TN Reconnect are all examples of how limited scope, statistics-based State level frameworks can help motivated people attain marketable skills quickly and affordably. I personally utilized the TN Reconnect program and TCAT to change the trajectory of my career. I will work to promote these on-ramps for motivated people to maximize their potential and freedom. We should create frame works for parents that home school to be able to write off expenses the same as a private contractor. We should incentivize micro schools to set up shop. The public school system is often all that's available for many parts of TN including District 31. I would rather see a true free market of education rather than this never ending fight over who gets money while test scores are in the gutter and many kids have trouble with math and reading despite having $7000 a year attached to them. We need an all above approach to education and realize that schools often serve as daycares in addition to education centers for working families. The goal should be education, not fund allocation.
Healthcare
Rural Tennessee hospitals are closing mainly because they lose money on patient care. Low patient volume, high uninsured rates (Tennessee never expanded Medicaid), private-insurer underpayments, Medicare Advantage denials, staffing shortages, and the end of pandemic aid have left many with no financial cushion. The state ranks near the top nationally in closures, with 12 hospitals recently listed at immediate risk.
Direct primary care (DPC) could ease several of those pressures without replacing hospitals. Patients pay a flat monthly fee ($50–$150) for primary and urgent care with no insurance billing; same-day access and longer visits have been shown to cut ER use by about 40% and admissions by 20%, reducing the money-losing cases rural hospitals absorb. Lower paperwork lets DPC clinics stay viable with smaller panels, which can help recruit and retain rural doctors. A hospital could run or partner with a DPC clinic for more predictable cash flow and to keep patients local. For uninsured Tennesseans, a membership is often cheaper than insurance plus a deductible for routine care, lowering uncompensated-care losses. DPC does not cover inpatient stays, surgery, or true emergencies, so patients still need catastrophic coverage; it works best as a stronger outpatient front door that reduces hospital losses rather than as a standalone solution. This along with expanded medicaid could save rural hospitals and expand access to more people until we can get to the root of the issues that cause chronic illness in TN.