The Candidates’ Responses to TNVET Questions – House
House Races
Responses received from candidates that will be on the November Ballot are listed. This is the list of certified senatorial candidates as identified by the Tennessee Secretary of State (district order) and contact efforts made by TNVET. All candidates, that had published email addresses listed on either their campaign website or their campaign FaceBook page were contacted. However, if the email listed on the campaign site or FaceBook page was a state government office email listing (this was the case for some incumbents) TNVET did not send the questionnaire. We will not mix campaign inquiries with official state business addresses. Due to time constraints, priorty contact will be given to senate races with more than one candidate. Their responses to the questions are listed with date received. Only the responses to the questions are published. If the response to a question had multiple paragraphs these were combine into one for space saving. The websites of candidates have been provided if further information about their campaigns is desired (just click on the web link site name).
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? I am not personally a military veteran. I am the spouse of a career Air Force Veteran. I spent 17 years of his 22-year career with him at various military bases around the world.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans/Surviving Spouses. I would support this legislation. The cap of $175,000 value for property tax relief should not even exist. Tennessee really has no benefits for its veterans. The legislature continues to lower the cap for the property tax relief. I agree that Market Value should be eliminated. I would support any legislation that would benefit our veterans.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. Yes, I would support this change. Tennessee needs to step up and give something back to its veterans. If this takes a constitutional amendment, I would support it.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. I would 100% support this legislation.
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? I am not personally a veteran, but have numerous veterans in my family, including my grandfather who landed at Normandy and my uncle who flew over Bosnia.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans/Surviving Spouses. Unequivocally yes, and I want to point out how this type of policy shows the Legislature’s hypocrisy, where they loudly proclaim their patriotism and support for veterans while doing little to nothing to help them. I perceive of the Democratic platform as trying to create a homeland fit for heroes, and is part of why I myself am a Democrat.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. Yes. I suspect the ban is in part an understandable but still overblown reaction to Operation Waltz. Of course, there would need to be mechanisms to ensure nothing corrupt occurs, but given we have since legalized a more formal lottery, that is at this point basically a non-issue. The law needs to be updated, and I support doing so.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. I support legalization on a recreational basis so I certainly support allowing cannabis for medical issues, and therefore answer another unequivocal yes.
District 14
Jason Zachary (R) – Campaign website not functioning, no campaign contact email
Jeff “Cog” Coggin (I) – No campaign website, candidate contacted Sept 1, 2026
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? Active Duty Military Service: 13 March 1987 – 30 September 2011; United States Air Force & Mississippi Air National Guard: Enlisted USAF: 13 March 1987 – 17 November 1992 (Airman Basic – Staff Sergeant); Personnel Specialist & Personnel Specialist Technical Training Instructor. Commissioned Officer: 18 November 1992 – 30 September 2011 (Second Lieutenant – Lieutenant Colonel); Financial Services Officer/Budget Officer/Base Support Officer/Comptroller Squadron Commander/Professor of Leadership & Communication Studies (Defense Financial Management and Comptroller School, Air University).
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans/Surviving Spouses. I support correcting the current property-tax reimbursement calculation for qualifying 100% Permanent and Total disabled veterans and eligible surviving spouses so that the reimbursement is based on the county-assessed value used for property-tax purposes, rather than the property’s market value. I also support working with the General Assembly, the Governor, the Comptroller, and county officials to identify and provide an appropriate, sustainable state funding source for the additional cost of this change. Veterans who have been rated 100% Permanent and Total disabled as a result of their service, and eligible surviving spouses, have earned our recognition and support. The intent of the existing property-tax relief program should be to provide the full benefit established by law, and the method used to calculate that benefit should not unintentionally reduce the relief as property market values rise. If elected, I would support legislation such as HB0436/SB0651, subject to confirmation of its final language, fiscal impact, and implementation requirements. I would also work to ensure that the state budget provides the necessary funding rather than creating an unfunded obligation for counties.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. I support the proposed constitutional amendment to establish a Tennessee Fund for Veterans’ Assistance and authorize a dedicated lottery game to generate funding for Tennessee veterans and their families. If elected, I would support SJR 0614 and work with my colleagues to advance the constitutional amendment through the required legislative process and ultimately allow Tennessee voters to decide the issue at the ballot box. I believe a dedicated funding mechanism could provide additional resources for legitimate veteran needs without relying exclusively on Tennessee’s general tax revenues. Funding could support programs such as veteran service organizations, county veteran service officers, emergency assistance, mental-health services, outreach, and training, while complementing—not duplicating—existing state and federal veterans’ benefits. I would also support appropriate accountability, transparency, and auditing requirements so that funds generated for veterans are used for their intended purposes and the public can clearly see how the money is being distributed.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. I support establishing a comprehensive, state-regulated medical cannabis program in Tennessee during the 2027 legislative session, limited to legitimate medical use. Tennessee should establish a clear, carefully regulated framework that allows qualified patients and veterans, in consultation with licensed healthcare professionals, to access medical cannabis when medically appropriate. The program should include appropriate physician oversight, product testing and labeling, licensing and regulatory standards, age restrictions, safeguards against diversion and misuse, and protections for public safety. I also believe Tennessee should establish a system that is transparent and accountable, with appropriate oversight of growers, processors, dispensaries, healthcare professionals, and patients. The program should be designed around patient safety and legitimate medical need rather than recreational use. The federal government’s actions in 2026 make it increasingly important for Tennessee to establish its own clear regulatory framework. In April 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that FDA-approved marijuana products and marijuana products regulated under qualifying state medical-marijuana programs had been placed in Schedule III, while broader federal rescheduling proceedings continued. I would therefore support legislation in 2027 to establish a comprehensive Tennessee medical-cannabis program and would work to ensure that it is medically responsible, properly regulated, fiscally accountable, and consistent with applicable federal law.
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? Yes. I am a proud United States Army veteran, and I served as a Military Police (MP) soldier. That service is the foundation of everything I have done since—it is why I served on the county commission, and it is why I am running for the Tennessee House of Representatives. Military service taught me that leadership means accepting responsibility, listening to the people affected by your decisions, and standing beside those you represent. I understand the promise this country makes to the people who serve, and I understand what it looks like when that promise is broken. Veterans should not be treated as a ceremonial constituency remembered only during elections and holidays. That commitment is not theoretical. When veterans in our region faced the possible closure of their local VA clinic, I helped organize public outreach, encouraged veterans and community members to speak out, supported a petition to protect continued access, and pressed federal officials for answers. Those efforts helped keep attention on the threatened loss of care, and the clinic was subsequently kept open through the end of 2026. The work is not finished, and I will continue fighting for permanent, dependable access to VA healthcare for veterans in rural Tennessee. If elected, I will consult veterans and veteran service organizations and work to turn their concerns into legislative action.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans/Surviving Spouses. Yes. This issue is straightforward: Tennessee should not allow a market-value formula to reduce the property-tax relief already earned by a qualified 100% permanently and totally disabled veteran or an eligible surviving spouse. That is a benefit cut disguised as a formula, and it can cost these families hundreds or thousands of dollars. I support HB0436/SB0651 and the proposed change to use the county-assessed value. I will not simply vote yes and walk away—I will work to identify and include the approximately $6 million required in the state budget. A promise without a funding path is not a promise; it is a press release. In a state budget measured in tens of billions of dollars, Tennessee can and should honor this commitment. I will work with TNVET, county officials, veteran service officers, and legislators from both parties to move the legislation through the committee and budget processes.
Question 3: Yes. I support allowing Tennessee voters to consider a constitutional amendment establishing a carefully regulated veterans’ assistance lottery. A dedicated, self-funded revenue stream for the Tennessee Fund for Veterans’ Assistance—one that does not take money from general tax revenue—can help meet real needs across our state. The proceeds must be constitutionally protected and used exclusively to supplement, not replace, existing veterans funding. The fund should support veteran service organizations, county veteran service offices, mental-health and suicide-prevention programs, emergency assistance, outreach, transportation, housing stability, and training for those who serve veterans. It must include public reporting, independent audits, reasonable administrative cost limits, and safeguards preventing the General Assembly from diverting the money to unrelated purposes. States such as Texas and Illinois have shown that this approach can work. I will support advancing SJR 0614 through the required legislative process and help build the bipartisan coalition needed to place the question before Tennessee voters for their final decision.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. Yes. I support establishing a comprehensive, physician-directed, state-regulated medical cannabis program in Tennessee during the 2027 legislative session. This position applies to legitimate medical treatment, not unrestricted recreational use. Veterans living with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, cancer, seizure disorders, and other serious conditions deserve access to every medically appropriate treatment option. Tennessee should not force them to leave the state, purchase untested products, or risk criminal penalties to obtain treatment that is legally regulated in most of the country. A responsible program should establish qualifying medical conditions, physician oversight, product testing, accurate labeling, dosage and possession standards, secure licensing, patient registration, protections against impaired driving, strong enforcement against diversion and sales to minors, and continuing legislative oversight. Several years ago, Tennessee lawmakers rejected the Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act (SB1710/HB1749). Alabama then used that Tennessee proposal as a model, made limited changes, and enacted Alabama SB46, the Darren Wesley ‘Ato’ Hall Compassion Act. Tennessee did the policy work, turned it down, and then watched a neighboring state act. Instead of establishing a comprehensive program, the Tennessee General Assembly passed HB1972/SB1603 in 2026, adding further conditions and delay to any future approval. Tennessee should now act for its own patients and veterans. I will support a tightly controlled medical program based on patient safety, medical evidence, accountability, and compassion.
Keith Nolan (I) – No campaign website or contact email
Randy A Sharp (I) – No campaign website or contact email
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? No. My dad enlisted and served in the Air Force for 20 years, so I grew up on or near military bases.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans/Surviving Spouses. Yes. Our state should do what it can to keep housing affordable of disabled vets and their families. On a personal note, my dad is a disabled vet and the property tax relief he has received has allowed him to be comfortably retired in the home he bought nearly 20 years ago after a long career of service. This reimbursement should be limited to one primary residence per family if it is not already.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. Yes. Whether by lottery or another source of revenue, I support supplementing state veterans services, especially in rural areas where resources are often few and far between. As with any aspect of our public wealth, there should be a good amount of oversight regarding where the funds are going and whether they are being used effectively to help our veterans. Helping state run veterans’ services should take priority over third party or nonprofit programs.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. Absolutely. I support medical cannabis legalization. I want it done the right way. To me, the right way prioritizes patient and small grower interests over corporate interests. Medical cannabis should be sold with a lower tax rate, fewer regulations on some growers, and patients should be allowed to grow a limited number of their own plants. It is one thing to legalize medical cannabis, it is another to prioritize patients over industry profit. I will prioritize patients.
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? No, I am not a military veteran. I have a long history of military service in my family, but I have not served myself.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans/Surviving Spouses. Yes, I will support the proposed change to the reimbursement law. I will support any change to the tax code that gives veterans a further break including up to full tax exemption. Furthermore, I support moving away from taxing any of our citizens and towards taxing large corporations and can easily provide funding for veterans reimbursement programs and other support programs in the gap created by the increased revenue.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. I was born in rural Illinois and personally benefited greatly from the state’s lottery programs. I will absolutely support a state lottery system to fund veteran’s assistance programs.
Connie Casha (D) – The website attributed to this candidate appears to have been hacked. We have alerted the candidate to our findings. Candidate has been contacted with our questionnaire Sept 2, 2026
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? I am not a military veteran. My father was a US Army veteran. My son in law is an US Army veteran who served in the 101st airborne in field artillery from 20025-2009 where he served two tours of duty in Iraq under OIE-I and II, and in OEF where he served in the military police from 2009-2017.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses. 100% yes. The bill has the backing of the legislators but they have failed to find a financial means to support it which keeps it from being passed.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. I am very interested in talking with veterans to identify goals and uses of funding that could be distributed to a Veteran’s group. The lottery funds have supported many great services such as voluntary pre-k and before and after school programs. Supporting Veteran causes is an appropriate use of these funds.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. I am in full agreement to the legalization and establishment of a comprehensive, state-regulated medical cannabis program in Tennessee. The benefits of the medical use of cannabis to relieve pain and discomfort is well documented and I will work to approve its use for medical purposes when elected in November.
District 50
Bo Mitchell (D) – No state candidate campaign website or campaign contact email
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? While not a veteran myself, my family has been and is heavily invested and supportive of our military and our veterans. We have a beautiful history of service in the Marine Corps, Army, and Merchant Marines. My own family has roots going back beyond the Revolutionary War to fur trappers/traders and the Mohawk tribe. My father tried multiple times to enlist during WWII but was rejected due to being color blind. He ended up serving as a Merchant Marine and was instrumental in this area as a Marine Diesel Engineer and was later recognized for his service on the Thomas H as well as helping to create and establish the Veteran’s Memorial in Ocala, Florida.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses. Yes! I support not only a tax cap, but no property tax for veteran owner-occupied houses, owner-occupied houses for seniors 55 and up. I would also support a tax that reflects the actual purchase price of homes with limited/capped increases and the ability to keep these costs consistent with homes that are bequeathed to children who occupy the property upon the home/property passing to them, thus helping to preserve intergenerational wealth.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. Yes. Not only do I support Medical Marijuana, I oppose any taxation on it.
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? No, I am not a military veteran.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses. Yes, I would support the proposed change to the reimbursement law that would ensure 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans and qualifying surviving spouses receive the full property tax relief they are entitled to. Veterans frequently live on fixed incomes, which make them vulnerable to rising property tax increases and housing costs. Our disabled veterans and their families should not be forced to choose between staying in their homes and keeping up rising property taxes. As housing costs continue to rise, we should be doing more to make homeownership affordable and attainable for the veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country. If elected, I will support and work with my colleagues to pass this legislation as a key priority during my time in office. Providing relief is not only a matter of fairness, but it is an important investment in housing stability, affordability, and the economic security of Tennessee’s veterans and their families.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. I would fully support amending the state constitution to establish a dedicated Tennessee Fund for Veterans’ Assistance and creating a veteran lottery to help fund it. Our veterans deserve access to resources and support they have earned through their service, including mental health services, housing support, and the rising needs of our veteran community. A dedicated funding source can help ensure these programs have the resources they need and a lasting impact for generations to come. Our veterans sacrificed to protect the future of our country, and we should make sure Tennessee is there to support them in return.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. I would fully support passing this legislation. At the same time, we need to make sure a medical cannabis program is implemented responsibly. That includes establishing proper testing and impairment standards, so that veterans who are legally using medical cannabis are not unfairly targeted, pulled over, or cited for a DUI simply because cannabis is present in their system. We should focus on active impairment, not simply the presence of a legally authorized medication. I would also be interested in amending Tennessee’s traffic code and establishing reliable testing standards that protect public safety while also protecting the rights of veterans using legalized medical cannabis treatments. Our veterans should never become targets because they are following a doctor’s recommendation. A regulated medical cannabis program would also strengthen Tennessee’s agriculture economy. With the proper regulations and safeguards in place, Tennessee farmers could participate in a growing industry, creating new opportunities for rural communities, local veteran owned businesses, and state revenue. We should be looking for ways to support Tennessee agriculture and keep more of those economic benefits here in our state. We can protect public safety, support our veterans, and create new economic opportunities for Tennessee farmers all at the same time.
Question 1: Are you a military veteran? I am not a military veteran and did not serve in the U.S. military. I have, however, deep respect and gratitude for those who have served, and I believe Tennessee has a responsibility to stand behind our veterans and their families.
Question 2: Property Tax Reimbursement for 100% Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses. I support updating the reimbursement formula so that it is based on the county-assessed value rather than market value (Thank you for sharing the information!). I would also work with my colleagues to identify the funding necessary to provide the full benefit to qualifying 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans and surviving spouses.
Question 3: Veteran Lottery. Tennessee’s veterans have earned our gratitude, but gratitude should also be reflected in how we invest in their well-being. I support the goal of creating a dedicated, sustainable source of funding for veterans’ programs and would support consideration of the proposed constitutional amendment, with appropriate transparency and accountability to ensure those resources reach the veterans and organizations that need them.
Question 4: Medical Cannabis. I support establishing a comprehensive, state-regulated medical cannabis program in Tennessee. Veterans and other Tennesseans should be able to have an informed conversation with their healthcare providers about treatments that may be appropriate for them, while a state program should include appropriate safeguards, quality controls, physician oversight, and protections for patients.
District 84
Joe Towns Jr. (D) – No candidate website
District 85
Jesse Chism (D) – No candidate campaign website
District 86
Justin J. Pearson (D) – No Campaign website
District 87
Reggie William Hall (R) – No campaign website or candidate contact email
Per the Tennessee Secretary of State, neither party had a candidate qualify for the August primary, and no independent filed by the March 10, 2026 deadline. Election will be determined by write-in