Working hard should get you ahead, not put you behind.

As an entrepreneur, innovator, and jobs-creator, I believe that East Tennesseans should have access to abundant, good jobs that contribute to our society, economy, and create financial stability for workers. We live in the richest country in the history of the world, but 67% of workers still live paycheck to paycheck. 

The cost of living – from housing to groceries to healthcare – has skyrocketed, but our wages have not kept up. A working mom in Lenoir City should never have to decide between paying their rent and feeding their kids. A Grainger County farmer should never have to live in fear that a medical event will bankrupt them. A family in Knoxville should never have to leave their hometown because they've been priced out.

East Tennessee is home to a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation, and hard work. But short-sighted, billionaire-backed policies mean that we're losing thousands of manufacturing jobs, small businesses are hurting from the President's trade war, and union membership is on the decline. Our farmers are struggling with the loss of their biggest markets due to Trump's ongoing trade war.

Instead of helping hard-working East Tennesseans get ahead, America’s wealth is accumulating amongst the ultra-rich.

A successful future for our workforce, our economy, and our country means passing legislation that supports workers, families, and innovation, not just the already-wealthy.

What I’ll work for in Congress to fix it:

• Cosponsor and vote for a federal minimum wage increase – pushing to raise the floor to at least $15/hour with phased increases so workers can afford to live and small businesses can plan ahead

• Work to secure federal appropriations for workforce development and job training programs that bring high-paying jobs back to East Tennessee

• Fight for East Tennessee’s share of infrastructure dollars to invest in much-needed infrastructure projects across East Tennessee while expanding apprenticeship and trade school opportunities so that local workers can build their own communities and make a good living doing it

• Champion legislation to make America lead R&D again: I’ll support increased federal investment in STEM education, basic and applied research, national labs, and emerging technology 

• Advocate for public-private manufacturing partnerships: I’ll work to bring manufacturing grants and tax incentives to East Tennessee businesses that create quality local jobs and lower costs for consumers

• Push for robust implementation and additional funding to grow domestic semiconductor production, protect national security, create skilled jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign supply chains

• Co-sponsor legislation to close billionaire tax loopholes and end carried interest deductions, crack down on offshore sheltering, and establish a minimum tax on extreme wealth so the ultra-rich pay what working Tennesseans already do

• Expand and fund national service programs to allow for Americans to give back to their country and their communities