The Cost of Living: Tennessee Families Cannot Afford More of the Same

During an election, it can feel like every commercial and social media post is telling us the same thing; one party has all of the answers, and the other is to blame for everything that has gone wrong.

I do not believe real life is that simplistic.

As I travel across Tennessee’s 6th District and talk with people who live here, I hear less about which political party is winning the arguments on the news and more about the cost of living. They are worried about the grocery bill. They are wondering how they will pay the electric bill, afford their medication, or cover the rent when their paycheck has not increased.

That is the reality I believe we need to be talking about.

People Are Working, but Still Falling Behind

The families I meet across Tennessee are doing what they have always been told to do. They go to work, pay their taxes, care for their children, and try to save what they can.

But it is getting harder.

In July 2026, overall consumer prices were 3.4% higher than they were the previous year. Food prices were up 3%, electricity was up 4.2%, and energy costs were up 14.7%. Gasoline prices increased 24.6%.

Those percentages may look small on a government report, but families feel every dollar at the grocery store, gas pump, and kitchen table.

Tennessee’s median household income is approximately $69,595, and 13.5% of Tennesseans live below the poverty line. Nearly 12% of Tennesseans under age 65 lack health insurance.

When I read those numbers, I do not just see statistics. I see my neighbors deciding which bill can wait, parents delaying medical care, and older Tennesseans worrying about whether their savings will last.

I see hiring signs everywhere, but I also hear from people who cannot find dependable work that pays enough to support a family. In the final quarter of 2025, average weekly wages remained below $1,125 in the majority of the counties in TN 06.

People are not asking for a handout. They are asking for an opportunity to work hard and build a decent life without falling further behind every year.

Division Will Not Lower Your Bills

When I turn on the news I see politicians arguing, calling one another names, and trying to convince us that our neighbors are the problem.

All the while, nothing gets cheaper.

Your grocery bill does not care whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. Neither does your mortgage, rent, electric bill, or the cost of taking your child to the doctor.

I believe politicians benefit when working people are divided. If we are busy fighting one another, we are less likely to ask what our elected officials are doing to lower costs, increase wages, improve healthcare, and create real opportunities.

I know we will not agree on every position and stance. That is part of living in a free country. But everywhere I go, I hear people asking for the same basic things. The people of Tennessee’s 6th district want good jobs, affordable healthcare, strong schools, safe communities, and a better future for their children.

Elections Have Consequences

I understand why people are frustrated with the government. Progress is slow, and powerful interests have too many opportunities to influence the people we elect.

But I still believe, now more than ever, our vote is still our voice.

A president cannot pass legislation alone. Congress decides whether an idea becomes law or sits on a shelf.

Right now, Republicans hold 218 seats in the U.S. House, Democrats hold 212, and four seats are vacant. Control of the House is separated by only a handful of races.

That is why I believe this election matters.

If we want to lower costs, protect Social Security, improve healthcare, and invest in rural communities, we have to elect representatives willing to do the work.

What Real Change Should Mean

Change should mean more than electing someone simply because of the letter beside their name.

It should mean electing representatives who will listen, show up, challenge corruption, and put working families ahead of wealthy donors and corporate interests.

I am not asking you to agree with me about everything. I am asking you to take a hard look at this race and decide who will actually work for the people of Tennessee’s 6th District.

I am asking you to consider who will listen to you and who will show up.

I am asking you to consider who understands what it is like to watch the bills increase while your paycheck stays the same?

I am asking you to consider who will protect Social Security, fight for affordable healthcare, support better wages, and invest in our schools, veterans, farmers, small businesses, and rural communities?

Most importantly, I am asking you to consider who is willing to go to Washington and fight for something better?