The Tennessean Editorial Board requested candidates on the Aug. 4 state and federal main ballot in Tennessee to answer our questionnaire. Uncover biographical knowledge and their responses to 10 questions. Early voting started on July 15.
Further: Examine candidates working inside the Aug. 4 Tennessee main election | Editorial
Biographical Data
-
Title: Mark Harmon
-
Age (at time of Aug. 4 election): 65
-
Neighborhoods, cities and/or cities: North Hills neighborhood of Knoxville
-
Coaching: Ph.D., Ohio Univ., 1988; MS Syracuse, 1981; BA Penn State, 1979.
-
Job historic previous: 1999 to Present, Professor, Journalism & Digital Media, Faculty of Tennessee 1988 to 1999, Professor, Texas Tech Faculty, Lubbock, Texas 1982 to 1988, Trainer, Xavier Faculty, Cincinnati, Ohio 1989 to 1991, Producer, KAMC-TV, Lubbock , Texas
-
Family: Married to Becky Harmon since 2003. One sister, one niece, one nephew.
Hear further Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion publication for insightful and thought scary columns.
Ten Questions in your Candidacy
What office are you in the hunt for?
US Residence, TN 2 (Democrat)
Why are you working for this office?
We wish a better congressman. Tim Burchett voted with the insurrectionists and would have delayed or denied the peaceful swap of power. I guidelines his totally different horrible votes, and there are many of them, on my website. He seems to have to be a Twitter critic of Congress. I would like to use the skills I found as a county commissioner to convey people collectively for essential and useful insurance coverage insurance policies; I’m devoted to diligent and ethical public service.
your state. Your tales. Help further reporting like this.
A subscription gives you limitless entry to tales all through Tennessee that make a distinction in your life and the lives of those spherical you. Click on on proper right here to develop right into a subscriber.
What makes you licensed to hold this office and better licensed than your opponent(s)? (Please specify in case you’re unopposed, nonetheless be at liberty to answer)
I am uncontested inside the Democratic main, nonetheless in November I am increased licensed than Tim Burchett because of he has “gone to the swamp and grow to be merely one different swamp creature.” I must symbolize working households and their desires. Catastrophe reveals character. Burchett caved to the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. When Knox County endured the Black Wednesday scandals, I testified for better than 3 hours about charge’s abuses, serving to the open conferences residents prevail. I served on the Knox County Price, 2006 to 2010.
How will you make the most important affect in your neighborhood by means of this place?
I could assist households acquire their aspirations by rewarding work, making faculty further moderately priced, and securing reproductive freedom for girls.
In case you’re elected (or re-elected), what are your prime 2 to a few priorities in your new (or subsequent) time interval in office?
-
Enhance the minimal wage
-
Develop the grants accessible to varsity college students for college and totally different post-secondary education
-
Protect girls’s correct by codifying into statutory regulation the abortion rights protections inside the Roe and Casey picks.
Be part of the Latino Tennessee Voices publication: Be taught compelling tales for and with the Latino neighborhood in Tennessee.
Be part of the Black Tennessee Voices publication: Be taught compelling columns by Black writers from all through Tennessee.
What are you listening to most from voters about what they want you to carry out, if elected?
Voters want an reliable and truthful congressman, one not beholden to firm power. In conversations all through the district, many agree with my protection ideas and my technique to getting points completed. They like my willingness to debate and are concerned my opponent is ducking debates.
What else would you want voters to seek out out about you that may help them make an educated alternative on Election Day?
I care deeply about my neighborhood. I volunteered to be a speech and debate coach for Knoxville School, 1999 to 2003. For 9 years I was a “huge” inside the Huge Brothers program. My candidacy is about giving once more, and opening doorways of different in gratitude for the doorways which have been opened for me.
Inform us just a few mentor or info who made a distinction in your life and what information would you impart to the neighborhood?
In Texas I grew to change into a great buddy of Molly Ivins. I miss her dearly. The late, good columnist taught me to fight like hell for what’s true and protect an excellent humorousness about your self and the fight.
Will you resolve to being civil in the best way you present your self and the easiest way you’re employed along with opponents and others? (Our definition of civility is being an excellent, vigorous, reliable and respectable citizen)*
Positive
A pleasurable question: What are one or two factors of curiosity (consuming locations, parks, venues, and so forth.) that visitors cannot miss in the event that they arrive to your neighborhood?*
No go to to Knoxville is full with no journey to Market Sq. or a stroll down Gay Avenue to the historic and restored Tennessee Theater.
Title Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas at (615) 259-8063, e-mail him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This textual content initially appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Aug. 4 election: Mark Harmon, candidate, Congress District 2