Michele Vetter
RepublicanQ1 Data centers and the TVA grid (Energy / AI / Environment) – Data center electricity use in the Tennessee Valley has grown roughly sevenfold since 2020, and in the Memphis area, gas turbines powering AI data centers have raised air-quality concerns. What specific policies, if any, would you support to protect Tennesseans’ electricity bills, grid reliability, and air quality as data centers expand?
Data centers should be located away from neighborhoods and should have strict environmental guidelines with close monitoring.
Q2 Childhood vaccination (Public Health / Trust in Science) – According to the Tennessee Department of Health, roughly 80% of Tennessee counties fall below the 95% kindergarten vaccination rate needed to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as measles. What policies, if any, would you support to manage vaccine-preventable diseases in Tennessee?
Parental choice.
Q3 Flooding and extreme-weather resilience (Environment / Climate) – Two years after Tropical Storm Helene, East Tennessee communities are still rebuilding, and a 2026 winter storm left hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans without power. What specific steps, if any, would you take to prepare Tennessee’s communities, infrastructure, and power grid for severe weather?
We need better structure with OEM and more community knowledge. This state needs to address infrastructure as a priority and should help residents more when disaster strikes.
Q5 State Science Education (K-12 Science Education) Secondary science (biology, chemistry, and physics) is one of the subject areas where Tennessee schools most often face teacher vacancies or rely on teachers with emergency credentials, and Tennessee lost a larger share of its teachers between 2023 and 2025 than any other state. What specific state policies, if any, would you support to recruit and keep qualified science teachers in Tennessee classrooms, particularly in rural and high-need districts?
Would not address until after a complete and comprehensive forensic audit of MNPS and other districts.
Q6 Trust in science (Policymaking Process / Trust in Science) – Distrust in science has been on the rise among the general public and policymakers, which has been associated with changes in federal funding for scientific research. In order to bridge this gap, how do you think scientists and policymakers can work together to strengthen their communication?
More transparency and working together to achieve better communications and understanding.