Candidate Directory

To view the Candidate Directory for the Tennessee District 32 Special Election, click here.

Dennis Powers

WINNER

House District36

Candidate Headshot
Incumbent or New

Incumbent

Party Affiliation

Republican

City

Jacksboro

Candidate Email Address

dennis@dennishpowers.com

Campaign Website URL

state.tn.us

Campaign Facebook Page

facebook.com

Campaign Twitter Account

@dennishpowers


SURVEY QUESTIONS


QUESTION 1:
Would you support or oppose legislation that would prohibit abortion except when necessary to prevent the death of the mother?

Support

QUESTION 2:
Would you support or oppose legislation that would make either sexual orientation or gender identity/expression a new protected class under Tennessee’s civil rights laws?

Oppose

QUESTION 3:
Would you support or oppose a bill to amend Tennessee’s marriage statute to expressly authorize the issuance of marriage licenses to two people of the same sex?

Oppose

QUESTION 4:
Would you support or oppose legislation that would establish a $15 per hour minimum wage in Tennessee?

Oppose

QUESTION 5:
Would you support or oppose legislation to allow the state to defend public K-12 schools that are sued because they designate the use of locker rooms and bathrooms on the basis of biological sex instead of the gender by which a student identifies?

Support

QUESTION 6:
Do you support or oppose the proposition, advanced by a certain business coalition, that the bill described in question 5 is “discriminatory” and “would harm our economy and damage our state’s reputation”?

Oppose

QUESTION 7:
Currently, a majority of the Justices on the Tennessee Supreme Court select the state’s Attorney General and Reporter. Would you support or oppose an amendment to the state Constitution that allows the Legislature to elect the Attorney General and Reporter in the same manner that it elects the Secretary of State, Comptroller, and Treasurer?

Support

QUESTION 8:
Would you support or oppose an amendment to the state Constitution that allows the Governor to appoint the state’s Attorney General and Reporter subject to confirmation by the Legislature, as now happens with the appointment of the state’s Supreme Court Justices?

Oppose

QUESTION 9:
Would you support or oppose legislation, like Insure Tennessee proposed by Governor Haslam in 2015, that would expand Medicaid coverage in Tennessee beyond the Medicaid-eligible population?

Oppose

QUESTION 10:
Do you support or oppose the decision by the state’s Department of Health to disregard the state’s current adoption laws and allow a child’s original birth certificate to show that the child has two mothers simply because one of the women is married to the child’s biological mother?

Oppose

QUESTION 11:
Would you support or oppose a bill that would prohibit the state or local governmental entities from either giving preference to or discriminating against a business entity in awarding of grants or contracts based on whether the business has made sexual orientation or gender identity a protected status under its personnel policies, assuming that either of such statuses is not otherwise required by federal law?

Support

QUESTION 12:
Would you support or oppose legislation to award all of Tennessee’s Electors in a presidential election to the Party of the candidate who wins the national popular vote?

Oppose

QUESTION 13:
Do you support or oppose legalizing horse racing tracks in Tennessee at which bets can be placed on races?

Oppose

QUESTION 14:
There is a school of thought that the Constitution is a “living” document, meaning its various provisions are evolving and should be interpreted in the context of contemporary societal mores. Would you support or oppose a nominee to the Tennessee Supreme Court if there is credible evidence that the nominee believes the state or federal Constitution should be viewed or interpreted as a “living” document?

Oppose

QUESTION 15:
Would you support or oppose legislation to ensure that an adoption agency with a sincerely held belief that marriage is only one man and one woman would not lose its state license to make adoption placements if it only placed children in homes into which the marriage was of one man and one woman?

Support


ESSAY QUESTIONS


ESSAY QUESTION 1:
Explain your view of state government’s role in relation to economic growth and/or job creation.

We should have infrastructure, training and low business taxes to attract and maintain business and industry in our state.

ESSAY QUESTION 2:
What are your thoughts about a parent of a child in a low performing public school being provided a voucher equal to the amount of the state’s per-student expenditure that would be applied toward the child’s private school tuition?

I think they should be provided with a voucher because I believe the parents, not the government, should decide on where their children attend school.

ESSAY QUESTION 3:
What is one of the most satisfying things you have ever done or accomplished and what made it so satisfying to you?

I dropped out of college after one year because I could not afford to continue. However, I went re-enrolled as an adult and went back to college while I was working full-time. It took me 8 years to finish as a part-time student, but it was worth it and I was very proud of my persistence to attain my degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee.

ESSAY QUESTION 4:
What personal qualities or experiences do you think will best serve you in your role as a state legislator?

My story in completing my degree and starting my business in the insurance industry has given me the life experience I need to serve in the legislature. I was brought up in a Christian family and I bring my values and experiences with me in my service to the state of Tennessee.

ESSAY QUESTION 5:
What bill that passed in the last General Assembly would you have voted against and why, or what bill that was not passed in the last General Assembly do you wish had passed and why?

HB 808 - It would have increased the police supplement pay from $600 to $1,000. Other states that border Tennessee provide for more supplement pay for their officer and we should too. They attend police training every year and the $600 fee will not pay for their required training.