It was Valentine’s Day 2018. The day of the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. As I held my 18-month-old daughter and envisioned her childhood ahead, I realized I had to do something. I felt completely powerless to protect her. But the next day I saw a post from a neighbor on a community Facebook group about Moms Demand Action Tennessee’s Advocacy Day and I signed up to attend. After that first small step, my entire life changed. 

 

I found my voice. 

 

I used the training I received to meet with legislators and advocate for common sense gun laws.  And I heard a variety of responses. Most would let us say our piece; some asked a question of two. But when it came to a vote, I quickly learned the Republican supermajority in Tennessee votes as a bloc, heavily controlled by certain lobbyists. 

 

As I began to gain perspective on other issues such as access to medical and mental health, voting rights, reproductive rights and funding public education, I realized our state is regressing. Quality of life for the average Tennessean is deteriorating, even as the state coffers are flush with cash. The refusal to expand Medicaid or fully fund public schools is a slap in the face for our working poor.

 

As a nurse practitioner who has mostly worked in critical care, I have seen firsthand the fallout from rural hospital closure. Access to affordable insulin alone could prevent countless deaths from horrific infection. This isn’t a partisan issue. All human bodies need nourishment and care.

 

My family and circle of influence raised me to be a Republican. I cast my very first vote for George W Bush. But I gradually woke up. It wasn’t just that my LGBTQ friends couldn’t attend my church and were rejected by my political party. I also saw broken bodies from lack of healthcare and food. I wondered how long we’re expected to endure preventable losses by gun violence. I saw Republican resistance to common sense laws that would reduce suicides, mass shootings and intimate partner violence. It dawned on me that denying expanded access to medical and mental healthcare damages the community, not just the patients.

 

My values now align best with the Democratic party. I’ve watched the Republican party actively move away from democracy and the greater good, hurtling toward theocracy and fascism. That’s something I never thought I’d have to worry about as I learned about the horror of the Holocaust as a child. 

 

It’s true that America is more divided than ever. We’ve lost sight of common ground. Laws should serve everyone, not just a few. The situation is pretty dire; this is our chance to turn the tides. 

 

That’s why the focus of my campaign is centered around increasing voter turnout. Williamson County has some toxic narratives around voting Democrat. One of the most common is that Democrats can’t win. I’m here to tell you that’s false. Far more democrats and progressive-leaning independents live here than show up to vote. I’m calling on every single one to SHOW UP and vote for me on August 1 by pulling a Democratic primary ballot. That’s also your ticket to supporting our outstanding Williamson County public schools. If you haven’t noticed, the Republican party aims to (in the exact words of Tennessee State Representative Scott Cepicky), “throw the whole freaking system in the trash.” 

A record-setting voter turnout in August will set us up for exponential growth in November. Republicans will be faced with a presidential candidate who violates a judge’s order 10 times over and legislators who openly reveal their bigotry, sexism and racism and refuse to vote for harm reduction and reproductive rights. They’ll  realize they can’t in good conscience vote for reckless representation anymore. There’s room under our tent, and we welcome all newcomers. Our conscience is our common ground. And our quality of life here in Tennessee depends on it.