Candidates compete for district 2 congressional seat
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Burchett
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Barnett
On Nov. 3, Farragut and other Knox County voters will have two choices for the Congressional District 2, U.S. House of Representatives, seat: Republican incumbent nominee Tim Burchett of Knoxville and Democratic nominee Michaela Barnett of Knox County.
Other candidates are Independent candidates Bruce Fine and Adam Heimerman.
In the Primary election, both Burchett and Barnett advanced to the General Election with 100 percent of the votes.
Burchett, formerly a businessman, has been in office since Jan. 3, 2019. He served in the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1994 to 1998 and Tennessee Senate from 1998 to 2010. He was Knox County mayor from 2010 to 2018.
Serving on a number of committees during his terms, within the last year, he served on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Committee on Foreign Affairs.
“I’m proud of my work as chairman of the DOGE subcommittee, and I’m proud to have passed my ‘No Tax Dollars to Terrorists’ Bill after uncovering that the U.S. sends upward of $40 million a week to the Taliban,” Burchett said. “I will continue to fight for the Senate to pick up the bill and pass it so it can become law.”
Now, he reflected, “There’s a lot of fight left to fight in Washington.
“I’m focused on delivering for the people of TN-02 through constituent services and continuing to bring more transparency and efficiency to the federal government,” Burchett said about running for re-election.
Barnett said she running because she is ready to call out politicians who aren’t working to make our lives better.
“I am a local small business owner and scientist who spent last year working in Congress,” she continued. “There, I saw what many of us feel in East Tennessee, that our government is not working for us.
“Gas prices are soaring; groceries cost too much; our infrastructure is crumbling; and rents are out of control all across East Tennessee,” Barnett said. “But Washington insiders and career politicians on both sides of the aisle aren’t working to make our lives better — they’re waiting it out.
“I believe that we need elected officials who put the needs of their constituents first and who aren’t afraid to call out their own party when they get it wrong,” she said. “ I know East Tennessee deserves better. That’s why I’m running to represent you in Congress.
“I believe that I am qualified to serve as your representative in the U.S. House because I am a business owner with a Ph.D. in civil engineering and experience working in Congress,” Barnett said. “Running my small business has shown me what it takes to balance budgets, make payroll, negotiate deals and incentivize growth.
“My background in engineering allows me to understand complex problems, evaluate opportunities and implement effective and efficient solutions in government systems,” she said. This experience is also particularly important to helping us address the massive infrastructure needs we have across our district.
“Finally, I spent last year working in the U.S. House of Representatives as a science policy fellow,” Barnett said. “I covered many policy areas, including Social Security, housing, financial services, taxes, energy and the environment.
Looking ahead, Burchett said, if elected, he will be “standing up to the big oil companies to help reduce the cost of living that so many Americans are facing. I’ve introduced bold legislation to combat this and will continue to fight to hold Big Oil accountable.”
Also, “I will continue to serve the people of TN-02 with great pride and will continue as a leader in the House for constituent services,” he said. “I will continue to fight for the elimination of waste, fraud, and abuse with a focus on decreasing our national debt.”
“My priority, if elected, is to serve the needs of East Tennesseans because we deserve a representative who will put our region first,” Barnett said. “I’m fighting for an economy that works for working people, quality healthcare that folks can afford, a government that actually represents us and investments in Tennessee’s infrastructure and workforce.
“I want to work with representatives from across the political spectrum to pass good, bi-partisan and common-sense legislation that will lower costs, invest in our region and make life easier for our neighbors,” she said. “But these aren’t just lofty goals; this is my plan to build a better future for East Tennessee.”
