Rodney Joe King
IndependentQ1 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?
I attended an Oak Ridge City Council work session where the cost of new transformers was discussed. It was brought up that the cost of large transformers had tripled since 2007, and that rates had increased by 22%, mostly due to increased charges from TVA that were passed on to ratepayers.
The logical consensus of the council was that projects requiring new transformers should be responsible for paying a large percentage of the cost in order to reduce or eliminate the cost being borne by ratepayers.
Specific policies: Data centers should cover 100% of the cost of the infrastructure required to power their operations. Projects must not adversely affect air quality or contribute to sound or light pollution.
The will of the residents of the surrounding area must be taken into account. They have the right to deny industry coming into their community. A case in point is the federal government’s plans to develop a nuclear waste dump in Rhea County. The citizens are against it, and it should not be built. The United States has already spent 100’s of million of dollars developing the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. Put the waste site somewhere besides Rhea County; the people there don’t want it.
There is a big push to connect the building of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to powering data centers, with the argument being that data centers would come with their own source of energy.
I started raising goats in 2012. I made the mistake of getting the goats before I fixed all the fences. I learned from my mistakes, and I would not support the building of data centers before the power source was in place—not just talked about. Building more nuclear plants before you have a way of safely disposing of the waste is irresponsible.
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?
During my service in the U.S. Navy, I received every vaccination that was available and required for my service. I was even scheduled to receive the anthrax vaccination until the policy changed so that only personnel being deployed to regions where anthrax was a concern would receive it. I also received the required annual flu vaccinations.
I credit vaccinations with contributing to my quality of life and good health. Vaccinations work, and I believe parents should have their children vaccinated to protect their children and help prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.
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?
If we developed solar power with proper battery backup, it would give individuals and communities greater resilience and more control over the electrical energy needed to operate our modern society.
Solar energy does not depend on fuel traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. The energy from the sun is free, and solar power produces electricity without the emissions associated with many traditional energy sources. Energy can be produced and used close to where it is needed, reducing our dependence on an extensive, long-distance power distribution system.
I believe expanding solar power, combined with reliable battery storage, could make our communities more energy-independent and resilient while giving individuals greater control over their energy needs.
Q4 Federal science funding and Oak Ridge (Science Funding / Jobs and Workforce) – Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and other Tennessee institutions depend on federal research funding. What priorities, if any, would guide your votes on funding for federal science agencies such as the Department of Energy, NIH, and NSF?
I think institutions like ORNL, the University System, DOE, NASA and other federal organizations are esential in making the world a better place to live in. Pure research needs the investment and long term follow through of the federal government.
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?
All relationships—social, political, and economic—are based on trust. Trust requires openness, transparency, and education.
Scientific research should be conducted with a high degree of accuracy, properly recorded, and reported truthfully. Policymakers need to understand the difference between cause and effect, as well as the difference between anecdotal evidence and experimental results.
If policymakers do not understand these differences or fail to base their decisions on accurate information, the responsibility for holding them accountable ultimately falls to the voters. An informed and educated electorate is essential to ensuring that policymakers are held accountable for the decisions they make.