CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – All three members of the local state House delegation are up for election in November, and candidates are actively campaigning. To help voters with their decisions, Clarksville Now is publishing their written responses to a series of questions on key issues.
The candidates for Tennessee House District 75 are state Rep. Michael Lankford, a Republican, and Allie Phillips, a Democrat. Here are their responses on five key topics. Both candidates, presented here in alphabetical order, were asked to respond in 100 words or less.
1. Infrastructure
What should be done to improve funding for state roads and highways in Montgomery County, including Interstate 24?
Lankford: Montgomery County and our state are growing too quickly to rely on the same approaches we have always used. We must think outside the box, pursue new funding opportunities and find innovative ways to complete projects faster without placing unnecessary burdens on taxpayers. That requires strong working relationships among state and local officials, TDOT and community partners. I have already started building those relationships and working to make sure our transportation priorities reflect current traffic, safety needs and future growth. Addressing Interstate 24 and our state routes will require long-term planning, cooperation and a willingness to consider new solutions.
Phillips: Montgomery County and Tennessee need stable, long-term transportation funding that keeps pace with population growth, inflation and construction costs. When elected, I will work with state and local officials to secure federal funding for projects that are important to residents of Montgomery County, as well as push up the timeline on local projects when possible. I strongly oppose implementing toll lanes across our interstates. Working families should not have to pay an additional fee to get to work. I would also advocate for investing in a commuter rail that connects Clarksville and Nashville, giving residents another reliable option while reducing congestion on I-24.
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2. Schools/education
What should be done to improve education in Tennessee, and do you support school vouchers?
Lankford: Every Tennessee child deserves an education that works for them, no matter their ZIP code. That begins with investment in strong public schools, great teachers, safe classrooms, student achievement and accountability. We must also expand career and technical education, apprenticeships and dual-enrollment programs that give students hands-on skills and prepare them to enter the workforce immediately after graduation. Yes, I support Education Freedom Scholarships because parents know their children best and should have options when another setting better meets their child’s needs. We can strengthen public education while giving families choices and ensuring every student graduates prepared for the future.
Phillips: I do not support school vouchers. They divert public tax dollars to private institutions while our public schools remain underfunded. We must invest in public education by paying teachers a living wage, ensuring classrooms are fully stocked without teachers paying out of pocket, and providing every student with access to school meals. We should also look at repealing the Third-Grade Retention Law. One test should never determine whether a child advances a grade. We need to support students and teachers, not punish them for shortcomings in our education system.
3. Public safety
What are your priorities when it comes to improving, or ensuring, public safety?
Lankford: Public safety is the foundation for everything else we want to accomplish. Without safe communities, businesses cannot thrive, families cannot succeed and our quality of life suffers. We must ensure law enforcement officers and first responders have the training, equipment and resources they need not only to protect us, but also to protect themselves. They face dangers and see things most of us will never understand, so supporting their physical and mental well-being must be a priority. We must work together at every level – local, state and federal law enforcement – to share information, coordinate resources and accomplish our goals.
Phillips: Every person should feel safe in their home and community. We should support local law enforcement with the resources, training and staffing they need while demanding accountability and community trust. We should also invest in violence prevention, mental health services and programs that address crime before it happens. I support common sense gun safety measures, including universal background checks, waiting periods and red-flag laws. Public safety also means safer roads, secure schools, strong communities, and ensuring people have access to the resources they need to prevent crime and build safer communities.
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4. Affordability
Costs of living are rising in high-growth areas of the state. What would you do to address the need for more affordable housing?
Lankford: The best long-term answer to housing affordability is increasing supply and encouraging growth where it makes sense while protecting property rights and the character of the communities that make Tennessee what it is. The state should support infrastructure that allows responsible growth, reduce unnecessary regulations that raise construction costs, and give local governments flexibility to plan for their needs. We should encourage private investment and workforce housing by making it easier to build a wider range of homes. Government cannot mandate affordability; it should create the conditions for housing supply and economic opportunity to keep pace with growth.
Phillips: We can make it easier for working families to afford a place to live and build toward homeownership. I support increasing workforce and affordable housing, expanding assistance for first-time homebuyers, and creating incentives to build housing that working families can actually afford. I will work with state and local partners to address investor-driven housing costs by limiting large-scale purchases of single-family homes by corporate investors and protecting renters from excessive rent increases. As communities like Montgomery County continue to grow, housing must keep pace so teachers, healthcare workers, first responders and working families can afford to live where they work.
5. Healthcare
What solutions do you support to improve access to healthcare across Tennessee?
Lankford: Access to healthcare looks different across Tennessee, but no family should have to travel hours or wait months to see a provider. We should use targeted incentives to recruit and retain doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals in the communities that need them most. Tennessee should expand telehealth, protect rural hospitals and strengthen access to mental-health and addiction treatment. We must also cut red tape, increase competition and require greater price transparency so patients have more control over their healthcare decisions. Our focus should be practical: more providers, shorter waits, lower costs and quality care closer to home.
Phillips: Tennessee needs to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare for every Tennessean. Strengthening Medicaid/TennCare will enable us to invest more in our rural hospitals, which in return will lead to better access to mental health, primary care, and specialist providers. Prescription drugs must be affordable, including insulin and other life-saving medications. Finally, Tennesseans should be able to make their own healthcare decisions in consultation with their doctors, not politicians. I support repealing Tennessee laws that interfere with the patient-provider relationship and prevent doctors from providing the care their patients need.
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About Tennessee House District 75
District 75 covers roughly the west third of Montgomery County, including the western side of Clarksville:
How to register, how to vote in November
The State General and City of Clarksville election will be Tuesday, Nov. 3, with governor, Congress, General Assembly, city mayor and half the City Council on the ballot.
The voter registration deadline is Oct. 5. Early voting will be Oct. 14-29.
Tennessee voters are required to show a valid photo identification. A driver’s license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Tennessee state government, or the federal government are acceptable, even if expired. College student IDs are not accepted.
For more information on voting, including registering to vote, go to the Montgomery County Election Commission website, visit their office at 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 404, email vote@mcgtn.net or call 931-648-5707.
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