CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Congressman Mark Green, R-Clarksville, who is finishing his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, has a Democratic opponent on Nov. 3 in Kiran Sreepada of Williamson County.
Their District 7 stretches from Clarksville to Franklin to Columbia on the east and covers much of middle-west Tennessee down to the Alabama and Mississippi state lines.
Here is information on both candidates, why they are running for office and where they stand on the top issues in the race.
Mark Green, 55, a Clarksville Republican, is a former healthcare CEO, Army special operations flight surgeon, and emergency room physician. He previously served as state Senator for District 22. Green has a doctorate in medicine from Wright State University, an MC in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Business Management from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Why are you running for office? “Our nation is in the midst of multiple crises, and we still have the long-term challenges that Tennesseans are very concerned about: a skyrocketing national debt, rising healthcare costs, and global threats to our nation’s safety, security and sovereignty. Our nation needs real leadership. That’s why I’m running for re-election to Congress. Despite being in the minority, we’ve accomplished a lot thus far – but there is still a lot of work to be done. I would be honored to continue that work on behalf of the 7th District of Tennessee.”
What’s the top campaign issue and your stance on it? “In my first term, I’ve led the fight on a number of different issues, and I will continue to lead the fight for healthcare for our rural communities, justice for our veterans, and to hold China accountable. I introduced a series of bills with my Democrat colleagues to help save our rural hospitals – I will continue to fight for those every chance I get. I’ve also introduced bipartisan legislation to seek justice for our K2 veterans – to ensure they get the care our nation owes them. … I have also written three bills to hold China accountable for their role in the unmitigated spread of the coronavirus.”
For more: MarkGreenTN.com or MarkGreen TN on Facebook
Kiran Sreepada, 39, a College Grove Democrat, is a former civil servant at the Government Accountability Office and former small-business owner. He is pursuing a doctoral degree in Public Policy: International Security and Economic Policy at the University of Maryland.
Why are you running for office? “I’m running for Congress so that I can bring together my professional, educational and personal experiences to Washington and better advocate for the people of Tennessee’s 7th District. As an educator, I came to see the challenges that our children and teachers face. As an entrepreneur, I worked through our various tax and small-business regulations. As a civil servant, I dedicated myself to making the government more accountable, transparent, and work better for the American people. Now I want to use that experience to change the way government works. As your congressman, I will fight for our district and make sure that our government reflects the best of all of us.”
What’s the top campaign issue and what’s your stand on it? “One of my highest priorities for this district is equalizing access to the fundamental resources any individual needs to pursue the American dream: access to quality education, access to affordable healthcare, and access to safe and modernized infrastructure and broadband. While these are not the answers to every problem we face, keeping focus on how to equalize access will help us focus on the most vulnerable in our society. This perspective will also help maintain a strong country, domestically, as we face new and evolving threats abroad.”
For more: KiranForCongress.com or KiranForCongress on Facebook.
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