This November, I’m running to win, but I’m not running to win at any cost. 

From the beginning, this campaign has been built on voters. Folks that donate what time and resources they can because they believe in this mission as much as I do. 

This campaign has never been about having the most money. It has been about having the most people in the room. 

And what are we fighting for? 

Accountability, transparency, and a government that remembers who it works for. 

That is why I encourage you to visit the Federal Elections Commission website and take a look at our receipts, for both spending and donations. While you’re there, I hope you check out my opponent’s page. See where donations come from, where they go. Money tends to tell a story that you might not otherwise hear.  

These are a few of my observations: 

1. In the primary race alone, the Garrett campaign shelled out $1.5 million to Smart Media Group for “Media Placements”, $150,000 to Targeted Victory LLC for “Consulting”, and $50,000 to Rachel Barrett & Company for “Finance Consulting”
2. Compared to our $35,000 in campaign donations, Garrett totaled $2.3 MILLION in the same time frame. 
3. The majority of donations are gifts of $2,000 and over, with some donors donating four-figure sums multiple times over. 

Those numbers say something. They say that we are running two very different kinds of campaigns. 

Who Do Your Politicians Represent?

The democracy I believe in is a government by the people, for the people. Our system works when elected officials are responsive to the will of the voters, even in the presence of corporate pressure, especially in the face of political persuasion. As a public servant, I have always understood my responsibility to be bigger than myself. 

To me, my allegiance is to the American people and to the people of Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District. It’s the code I stood for as a TN State Park Ranger, a long-time public servant, and a Presidential Management Fellow. 

I’m proud that my campaign has been funded by the American people and we’ll continue to fight through a general election the same way we fought, and won, the primary. We lean into the Tennesseans that value transparency like I do. The ones that want to see the government work for them and not for the corporations that vote with their checkbook. 

The fact that Garrett can throw $2 million dollars at advertisement and consulting doesn’t scare me. That just confirms my belief that we’re running very different campaigns and that’s ok. We’ve got something I believe is worth a whole lot more: People. And that’s who I’m running for.