Solutions, Not Sides
Tennesseans are tired of politics that focus on ideological fights while everyday problems go unsolved. Lauren’s campaign is focused on independent solutions to a two-party gridlock.
That’s why her priorities are:
Tennesseans are tired of politics that focus on ideological fights while everyday problems go unsolved. Lauren’s campaign is focused on independent solutions to a two-party gridlock.
That’s why her priorities are:
Instead of fighting culture wars, Lauren’s administration will focus on practical solutions that improve daily life for Tennesseans.
You may not agree with every policy here and that’s okay. What you can expect is a governor who acts in good faith, listens to new information, and adjusts policy when the evidence shows a better path forward.
Instead of fighting culture wars, Lauren’s administration will focus on practical solutions that improve daily life for Tennesseans.
You may not agree with every policy here and that’s okay. What you can expect is a governor who acts in good faith, listens to new information, and adjusts policy when the evidence shows a better path forward.
Lower the Cost of Living
Lower the Cost of Living
Tennesseans should be able to afford their lives through honest work. Government should focus on lowering everyday costs while strengthening the economic stability of families and communities.
Tennesseans should be able to afford their lives through honest work. Government should focus on lowering everyday costs while strengthening the economic stability of families and communities.
Tax Policy and Household Costs
Income Tax
Lauren opposes creating a Tennessee state income tax and instead supports strengthening partnerships between under-resourced counties and philanthropic investors to fund community development.
Grocery Tax
Lauren will explore the fiscal viability of removing the grocery tax in Tennessee, while protecting the stability of the state budget.
SNAP Benefits
Lauren opposes restrictions that would block SNAP benefits from being used for certain foods like snacks or sodas. These restrictions would harm local grocers and drive up food costs for middle-class families.
Lower Energy Burdens for Families
Too many Tennessee families spend a large share of their income on utility bills. Lauren will prioritize policies that expand access to lower-cost energy sources, modernize the power grid, and encourage competition and innovation that bring down electricity costs for working households.
Affordable Early Childhood Education
Lauren strongly supports shifting Tennessee increased budget Education Freedom Scholarships to early childhood education funds, as well as any budget measures that will expand the number of affordable early childhood education opportunities for families in Tennessee. These funds will support businesses that offer on-site daycare, while the state’s investment will increase the workforce, expand the economy with dual-income households, and relieve financial pressure on growing families with young children.
Income Incentives
Tennessee residents who receive public assistance often face the impossible choice of taking a raise or losing their benefits. Our public assistance programs should never discourage hard work, so Lauren will work with the Department of Humans Services to restructure our programs to eliminate these "benefit cliffs.”
Hemp Products
Lauren supports the regulated sale of hemp products in Tennessee to ensure consumer safety, support farmers and small businesses, and allow the state to responsibly oversee a market that already exists. Clear regulations will protect consumers while reducing unnecessary enforcement burdens on law enforcement.
Housing and Community Growth
Property and Sales Taxes
Lauren supports gradually reducing property taxes on primary residences once homeowners reach Social Security age or fully pay off their homes. Eliminating property taxes entirely would force major sales tax increases that would burden Tennessee families.
Transfer Tax Revenue for Communities
Lauren supports allowing local governments to receive a share of the Tennessee transfer tax on home sales to help fast-growing communities fund infrastructure improvements.
Supporting Local Governments
Lauren will work closely with local governments incentivizing county commissions to adopt best practices for housing reform as a condition of receiving state infrastructure grants. This balances Tennessee's need for more housing options with the unique situation of each local government and community.
Healthcare Affordability
Preventative Healthcare
Lauren will expand access to primary care for adults ages 20–40 using telehealth, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and EMTs to strengthen preventative care and reduce long-term healthcare costs.
Prescription Drug Costs
Lauren will work to reduce prescription costs by addressing the role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and expanding access to direct-pricing pharmacies, partnering with Mark Cuban and other willing partners in this industry.
Public Health Communication
Lauren will invest in clear, nonpartisan public health messaging delivered through trusted local messengers, modern media, and plain language, rather than fear.
Healthcare Fraud Prevention
Lauren will crack down on the sale of Medicare and Medicaid data on the black market–one of the least discussed budget crises in Tennessee. She will strengthen investigations into healthcare data exploitation by exploring ways to directly connect the Financial Services Investigation Unit to the TN Bureau of Investigation or the Attorney General’s office.
Tax Policy and Household Costs
Income Tax
Lauren opposes creating a Tennessee state income tax and instead supports strengthening partnerships between under-resourced counties and philanthropic investors to fund community development.
Grocery Tax
Lauren will explore the fiscal viability of removing the grocery tax in Tennessee, while protecting the stability of the state budget.
SNAP Benefits
Lauren opposes restrictions that would block SNAP benefits from being used for certain foods like snacks or sodas. These restrictions would harm local grocers and drive up food costs for middle-class families.
Lower Energy Burdens for Families
Too many Tennessee families spend a large share of their income on utility bills. Lauren will prioritize policies that expand access to lower-cost energy sources, modernize the power grid, and encourage competition and innovation that bring down electricity costs for working households.
Affordable Early Childhood Education
Lauren strongly supports shifting Tennessee increased budget Education Freedom Scholarships to early childhood education funds, as well as any budget measures that will expand the number of affordable early childhood education opportunities for families in Tennessee. These funds will support businesses that offer on-site daycare, while the state’s investment will increase the workforce, expand the economy with dual-income households, and relieve financial pressure on growing families with young children.
Income Incentives
Tennessee residents who receive public assistance often face the impossible choice of taking a raise or losing their benefits. Our public assistance programs should never discourage hard work, so Lauren will work with the Department of Humans Services to restructure our programs to eliminate these "benefit cliffs.”
Hemp Products
Lauren supports the regulated sale of hemp products in Tennessee to ensure consumer safety, support farmers and small businesses, and allow the state to responsibly oversee a market that already exists. Clear regulations will protect consumers while reducing unnecessary enforcement burdens on law enforcement.
Housing and Community Growth
Property and Sales Taxes
Lauren supports gradually reducing property taxes on primary residences once homeowners reach Social Security age or fully pay off their homes. Eliminating property taxes entirely would force major sales tax increases that would burden Tennessee families.
Transfer Tax Revenue for Communities
Lauren supports allowing local governments to receive a share of the Tennessee transfer tax on home sales to help fast-growing communities fund infrastructure improvements.
Supporting Local Governments
Lauren will work closely with local governments incentivizing county commissions to adopt best practices for housing reform as a condition of receiving state infrastructure grants. This balances Tennessee's need for more housing options with the unique situation of each local government and community.
Healthcare Affordability
Preventative Healthcare
Lauren will expand access to primary care for adults ages 20–40 using telehealth, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and EMTs to strengthen preventative care and reduce long-term healthcare costs.
Prescription Drug Costs
Lauren will work to reduce prescription costs by addressing the role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and expanding access to direct-pricing pharmacies, partnering with Mark Cuban and other willing partners in this industry.
Public Health Communication
Lauren will invest in clear, nonpartisan public health messaging delivered through trusted local messengers, modern media, and plain language, rather than fear.
Healthcare Fraud Prevention
Lauren will crack down on the sale of Medicare and Medicaid data on the black market–one of the least discussed budget crises in Tennessee. She will strengthen investigations into healthcare data exploitation by exploring ways to directly connect the Financial Services Investigation Unit to the TN Bureau of Investigation or the Attorney General’s office.
Tax Policy and Household Costs
Income Tax
Lauren opposes creating a Tennessee state income tax and instead supports strengthening partnerships between under-resourced counties and philanthropic investors to fund community development.
Grocery Tax
Lauren will explore the fiscal viability of removing the grocery tax in Tennessee, while protecting the stability of the state budget.
SNAP Benefits
Lauren opposes restrictions that would block SNAP benefits from being used for certain foods like snacks or sodas. These restrictions would harm local grocers and drive up food costs for middle-class families.
Lower Energy Burdens for Families
Too many Tennessee families spend a large share of their income on utility bills. Lauren will prioritize policies that expand access to lower-cost energy sources, modernize the power grid, and encourage competition and innovation that bring down electricity costs for working households.
Affordable Early Childhood Education
Lauren strongly supports shifting Tennessee increased budget Education Freedom Scholarships to early childhood education funds, as well as any budget measures that will expand the number of affordable early childhood education opportunities for families in Tennessee. These funds will support businesses that offer on-site daycare, while the state’s investment will increase the workforce, expand the economy with dual-income households, and relieve financial pressure on growing families with young children.
Income Incentives
Tennessee residents who receive public assistance often face the impossible choice of taking a raise or losing their benefits. Our public assistance programs should never discourage hard work, so Lauren will work with the Department of Humans Services to restructure our programs to eliminate these "benefit cliffs.”
Hemp Products
Lauren supports the regulated sale of hemp products in Tennessee to ensure consumer safety, support farmers and small businesses, and allow the state to responsibly oversee a market that already exists. Clear regulations will protect consumers while reducing unnecessary enforcement burdens on law enforcement.
Housing and Community Growth
Property and Sales Taxes
Lauren supports gradually reducing property taxes on primary residences once homeowners reach Social Security age or fully pay off their homes. Eliminating property taxes entirely would force major sales tax increases that would burden Tennessee families.
Transfer Tax Revenue for Communities
Lauren supports allowing local governments to receive a share of the Tennessee transfer tax on home sales to help fast-growing communities fund infrastructure improvements.
Supporting Local Governments
Lauren will work closely with local governments incentivizing county commissions to adopt best practices for housing reform as a condition of receiving state infrastructure grants. This balances Tennessee's need for more housing options with the unique situation of each local government and community.
Healthcare Affordability
Preventative Healthcare
Lauren will expand access to primary care for adults ages 20–40 using telehealth, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and EMTs to strengthen preventative care and reduce long-term healthcare costs.
Prescription Drug Costs
Lauren will work to reduce prescription costs by addressing the role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and expanding access to direct-pricing pharmacies, partnering with Mark Cuban and other willing partners in this industry.
Public Health Communication
Lauren will invest in clear, nonpartisan public health messaging delivered through trusted local messengers, modern media, and plain language, rather than fear.
Healthcare Fraud Prevention
Lauren will crack down on the sale of Medicare and Medicaid data on the black market–one of the least discussed budget crises in Tennessee. She will strengthen investigations into healthcare data exploitation by exploring ways to directly connect the Financial Services Investigation Unit to the TN Bureau of Investigation or the Attorney General’s office.
Strengthen Education & Workforce Pathways
Tennessee’s economy depends on strong schools, skilled workers, and thriving industries. Lauren believes education policy should be shaped by teachers and communities, while workforce policy should ensure Tennesseans can build stable careers.
Tennessee’s economy depends on strong schools, skilled workers, and thriving industries. Lauren believes education policy should be shaped by teachers and communities, while workforce policy should ensure Tennesseans can build stable careers.
Supporting Teachers and Students
Limited Screens in Schools
Lauren supports legislation reflecting modern research by thought leaders like Dr. Jonathan Haidt on childhood development, including: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools from bell to bell, and promoting more independence, free play, and real-world responsibility for children.
School Safety Technology
Lauren will explore tax incentives for companies providing discreet weapon detection technology to public schools so Tennessee children can focus on learning, not on their safety.
Teacher Pay and Classroom Burden
Lauren will work to increase teacher salaries while reducing administrative burdens created by outdated burdens placed on them from the remnants of No Child Left Behind policies.
Benchmark Testing Reform
Lauren supports reducing excessive benchmark testing so teachers can focus on instruction, rather than unnecessary data collection.
Teacher Feedback in Policy
As a former classroom teacher, Lauren is committed to ensuring that those on the frontline of state education be at the center of conversations regarding education policy at the state level.
Diversified Education Options
The No Child Left Behind era stripped public school classrooms of teachers’ creativity and forced cookie cutter schools across Tennessee. Lauren supports diversifying public school models to meet the needs of different learners, especially in rural counties.
Expanding Learning Opportunities
Digital Literacy
Lauren supports curriculum in typing, internet safety, and responsible AI use.
Technical Career Training
Lauren will invest in trade education in high schools and expand pathways to Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) scholarships, especially for training electricians desperately needed in the growing data center landscape.
Career Pathways in High School
Lauren will propose licensing adjunct instructors in high school career courses to address the lack of teachers in Tennessee while offering part-time opportunities for local professionals.
Education Symposium
Lauren will convene Tennessee homeschool co-ops, microschools, private schools, universities, community colleges, and technical schools to establish acceptable sets of education standards & discuss the future of professional learning while ensuring the freedom of education options to all families in Tennessee.
Supporting Workers and Labor Organizing
Protecting Artists from AI
Lauren will convene groups of musicians and creatives in Tennessee to inform Tennessee lawmakers of practical legislation proposals needed to address artificial intelligence and licensing shortfalls that negatively impact the income of artists in our state.
Tax Breaks for Great Places to Work
Lauren will support tax incentives to expand healing-centered workplaces for second-chance programs, human trafficking survivors, and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Protect TN Workers’ Rights to Organize
Union membership in our state is about 5.7%, well below the national average, but it has grown more than 50% since 2020 as more workers seek representation. Lauren will support protecting every worker’s freedom to organize and bargain collectively, because strong workplaces help build stronger families, communities, and local economies. As Governor, Lauren will: – Protect the right of workers to organize and form unions – Support workforce development partnerships between unions, employers, and trade schools – Expand apprenticeship programs that connect workers to high-skill careers – Ensure state economic development incentives prioritize companies that respect workers and invest in Tennessee communities
Strengthen Education & Workforce Pathways
Build Reliable Infrastructure & Energy
Tennessee’s economy depends on strong schools, skilled workers, and thriving industries. Lauren believes education policy should be shaped by teachers and communities, while workforce policy should ensure Tennesseans can build stable careers.
Supporting Teachers and Students
Diversified Education Options
The No Child Left Behind era stripped public school classrooms of teachers’ creativity and forced cookie cutter schools across Tennessee. Lauren supports diversifying public school models to meet the needs of different learners, especially in rural counties.
Teacher Feedback in Policy
As a former classroom teacher, Lauren is committed to ensuring that those on the frontline of state education be at the center of conversations regarding education policy at the state level.
Benchmark Testing Reform
Lauren supports reducing excessive benchmark testing so teachers can focus on instruction, rather than unnecessary data collection.
Teacher Pay and Classroom Burden
Lauren will work to increase teacher salaries while reducing administrative burdens created by outdated burdens placed on them from the remnants of No Child Left Behind policies.
School Safety Technology
Lauren will explore tax incentives for companies providing discreet weapon detection technology to public schools so Tennessee children can focus on learning, not on their safety.
Limited Screens in Schools
Lauren supports legislation reflecting modern research by thought leaders like Dr. Jonathan Haidt on childhood development, including: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools from bell to bell, and promoting more independence, free play, and real-world responsibility for children.
Expanding Learning Opportunities
Education Symposium
Lauren will convene Tennessee homeschool co-ops, microschools, private schools, universities, community colleges, and technical schools to establish acceptable sets of education standards & discuss the future of professional learning while ensuring the freedom of education options to all families in Tennessee.
Career Pathways in High School
Lauren will propose licensing adjunct instructors in high school career courses to address the lack of teachers in Tennessee while offering part-time opportunities for local professionals.
Technical Career Training
Lauren will invest in trade education in high schools and expand pathways to Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) scholarships, especially for training electricians desperately needed in the growing data center landscape.
Digital Literacy
Lauren supports curriculum in typing, internet safety, and responsible AI use.
Supporting Workers and Labor Organizing
Protect Tennessee Workers’ Rights to Organize
Union membership in our state is about 5.7%, well below the national average, but it has grown more than 50% since 2020 as more workers seek representation. Lauren will support protecting every worker’s freedom to organize and bargain collectively, because strong workplaces help build stronger families, communities, and local economies. As Governor, Lauren will: – Protect the right of workers to organize and form unions – Support workforce development partnerships between unions, employers, and trade schools – Expand apprenticeship programs that connect workers to high-skill careers – Ensure state economic development incentives prioritize companies that respect workers and invest in Tennessee communities
Tax Breaks for Great Places to Work
Lauren will support tax incentives to expand healing-centered workplaces for second-chance programs, human trafficking survivors, and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Protecting Artists from AI
Lauren will convene groups of musicians and creatives in Tennessee to inform Tennessee lawmakers of practical legislation proposals needed to address artificial intelligence and licensing shortfalls that negatively impact the income of artists in our state.
Tennessee’s growth depends on reliable infrastructure, from roads and water systems to energy and transportation networks. Lauren will invest in modern infrastructure that keeps communities connected and the economy moving.
Tennessee’s growth depends on reliable infrastructure, from roads and water systems to energy and transportation networks. Lauren will invest in modern infrastructure that keeps communities connected and the economy moving.
Transportation Infrastructure
Metroplex Road Systems
Lauren will work with TDOT to explore flexible lane systems that allow center lanes to shift direction during peak commute times in metro areas (NOT adding more lanes through metro neighborhoods).
Passenger Rail
Lauren supports exploring a statewide passenger rail system connecting Memphis to Bristol and Nashville to Chattanooga to improve mobility and economic connectivity.
Road Repairs
Lauren will address the backlog in road repairs ignored far too much by state leaders by aggressively pursuing federal infrastructure funding and coordinating with local governments.
Energy Infrastructure
Cut Red Tape for Renewable Energy
Many Tennessee communities face unnecessary restrictions that prevent responsible renewable energy projects from being developed. Lauren will work with local governments and utilities to review outdated regulations and remove red tape that blocks affordable energy solutions while still respecting local land-use decisions.
Expand Nuclear Energy
Lauren supports expanding Tennessee’s nuclear energy capacity, including small modular reactors, to ensure long-term energy reliability, protect the TVA, lower utility costs, and reduce dependence on unstable energy markets.
Diversifying Energy Resources
Tennessee’s long-term energy security requires diversifying how we power our homes and industries. Lauren will support practical transitions toward nuclear power, renewables, and emerging energy technologies that strengthen reliability while reducing dependence on volatile oil markets.
Protect the Tennessee Valley Authority
Lauren will protect the Tennessee Valley Authority from privatization to maintain affordable utility costs and healthy waterways for Tennesseans and for our bordering states.
Modernize Tennessee’s Energy Grid
A stronger energy grid means fewer outages, lower costs, and more flexibility for future technologies. Lauren will work with utilities and regional partners to upgrade transmission infrastructure so Tennessee can take advantage of new energy innovations while maintaining reliable service.
Supporting Workers and Labor Organizing
Water Systems Coordination
Lauren will improve coordination between counties that share water systems by strengthening communication between local governments, regional water suppliers, and the state utility board.
Burying Electrical Lines
Lauren will begin a long-term effort to bury power lines in high-risk areas, with direct consultation and consideration of Tennessee's linemen, utility companies, and trade schools.
Protect Safety, Rights & Community
Restore Government Accountability
Agriculture and Farming
Summer EBT and Local Food Systems
Lauren supports reinstating summer EBT funding to connect SNAP families with Tennessee farmers, while helping parents learn how to prepare fresh, local food affordably during the summer months. She will also support incentivizing participation in nutrition classes with additional SNAP funds.
Farmer Mental Health
Lauren is deeply concerned about rising farmer suicides and will support expanding rural mental health access, strengthening peer-to-peer agricultural support networks, and reducing financial pressures that isolate family farmers.
Preserve Farmland by Stacking Energy
Lauren supports expanding “stacked land use” that allows vulnerable family farms to bury data centers under their land, utilizing the heat emitted from the use of these data centers to then convert to distributed energy. This allows Tennessee to preserve its beautiful landscape, generate additional revenue for the state, and offer additional revenue streams for farmers.
Keep Big Corporations Out of Small...
Lauren will explore creating a program within the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to connect retiring farmers and ranchers with the next generation unable to afford land due to farm consolidation caused by corporations and mega-farms buying up farmland.
Made in Tennessee Agriculture
Lauren will explore opportunities to produce and market beef, poultry, and pork products inside the borders of Tennessee that can be distributed safely, outside of burdensome USDA and FDA regulations.
Farm-to-Table Tax Relief
Lauren supports expanding tax exemptions for farm-to-table markets and incentivizing regulatory compliance in agricultural businesses.
Conserving Tennessee’s Land and Water
Supporting Hunters, Anglers, and...
Hunters and anglers have long been some of America’s most dedicated conservationists. Lauren will protect wildlife habitats and expand responsible access to parks, trails, and public lands that support rural economies and connect Tennessee families to the outdoors.
Protecting Tennessee’s Waterways
More than half of Tennessee’s rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands are considered impaired due to pollution, runoff, litter, and aging wastewater systems. Lauren will strengthen coordination between farmers, municipalities, and conservation partners to reduce runoff, address pollution, and restore healthy waterways that protect drinking water, recreation, and wildlife.
Voluntary Conservation Incentives
Because over 80% of Tennessee’s 14 million acres of forest are privately owned, conservation works best when landowners are partners rather than targets of regulation. Lauren will expand existing voluntary conservation incentives, such as tax benefits, stewardship programs, and technical support, to help landowners protect wildlife habitat, forests, and waterways while maintaining the economic value of their land.
Land Stewardship Through Regene...
Farmers have always been Tennessee’s original conservationists. Lauren will support voluntary programs that help farmers strengthen soil health, reduce erosion, and protect water quality while keeping family farms productive for future generations.
Taking Politics Out of TN's Environment
From the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River, Tennessee’s forests, rivers, and farmland are part of our shared heritage. Lauren believes Tennessee can conserve its natural resources while empowering farmers, hunters, landowners, and local communities to protect the landscapes that define our state.
Rural Healthcare
Maternity Care Deserts
Over a third of Tennessee counties are considered maternity care deserts and this crisis disproportionately impacts rural, low-income, and Black Tennesseans. Lauren will address maternity care deserts as a public health priority, paying particular attention to dismantling racialized maternity mortality inequities in our state.
Save Independent Hospitals
Lauren will work to expose corporate health insurance lobbyists trying to consolidate independent health systems, especially in rural Tennessee by tying federal rural health grants to the elimination of Certificates of Need.
Rural communities are the backbone of Tennessee’s economy and culture. Lauren’s administration will focus on keeping farms viable, strengthening rural healthcare, and investing in infrastructure that connects communities.
Rural communities are the backbone of Tennessee’s economy and culture. Lauren’s administration will focus on keeping farms viable, strengthening rural healthcare, and investing in infrastructure that connects communities.
Support Rural Communities & Agriculture
Public Safety and Criminal Justice
Combating AI Deepfakes & Digital...
Drawing on 15 years of work against human trafficking and exploitation, Lauren supports the Take It Down Act and expanding defamation laws to ban deepfakes that use someone’s name, image, or likeness without consent or to falsely represent their actions.
Voting Rights Restoration
Lauren supports legislation that creates practical pathways for justice-involved youth and adults to regain voting rights.
Second Chance Programs
Lauren will expand rehabilitative programs in Tennessee prisons to increase GED graduations, cognitive behavioral therapy skills, and employment pathways back to civilian life.
Criminal Justice Reform
Lauren will conduct a full assessment of Tennessee’s prison system, both public and private partnerships, to reduce the incarcerated population in the state by 15% in her first term as Governor. She will invest in behavioral health services and education resources for those incarcerated due to substance abuse to reduce recidivism rates, keep families together, and save taxpayer dollars.
Protecting Those on the Front Lines
Lauren supports protecting those on the front lines of emergencies through leadership focused on vibrant communities, practical peacebuilding, and narrowed targets.
Support for First Responders
Lauren will expand mental health services and trauma-informed training for officers across all levels of law enforcement.
2nd Amendment
Secure Storage Laws
Tennessee leads the nation in the number of firearms stolen from vehicles, and firearm injury has been the leading cause of death for Tennessee children since 2017. Adults have a responsibility to keep children safe and Lauren supports requirements on safe firearm storage in vehicles to prevent theft and protect children.
Temporary Transfer Laws
Lauren will support creating a legal pathway to transfer gun possession away from someone who presents an imminent risk to themselves or others to prevent suicide. There are 21 states that have enacted similar laws showing an effective prevention of firearm suicides (Connecticut alone saw a 14% decrease in firearm suicides after passing this legislation).
Universal Background Checks
Lauren supports closing the loophole that currently requires a background check when purchasing a weapon from a licensed gun store, but not from a private seller or at a gun show. Background checks mostly take less than 15 minutes, and 99.6% of Tennesseans live within 10 miles of a licensed firearm dealer so this is common-sense policy that can prevent firearms from getting in the hands of convicted felons, domestic abusers, and others aiming to harm the people of Tennessee.
Protecting Sportsmanship & Self-Defense
It is nonnegotiable to Lauren that sportsmanship and self-defense remain constitutionally protected in Tennessee.
Bring Gun Legislation to the 21st Century
The 2nd Amendment was written when muskets were the deadliest personal firearms. Today, unchecked gun laws are encroaching on our 1st amendment rights. Lauren believes that Tennesseans should not be afraid to practice their freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or freedom of assembly for fear of gun violence.
Civil Rights and Personal Freedom
Immigration and Community Safety
Mental Health and Community Well-Being
Supporting Families Needing Complex...
She will prioritize expanding therapeutic environments for children and adults who are medically fragile or behaviorally complex, across classrooms, housing, employment, and community services.
Safe Shelter for the Unhoused
Lauren will pilot “palliative housing” in up to three communities, partnering locally to provide temporary or long-term support to those experiencing momentary or chronic homelessness, modeled after Austin, Texas’ Community First! tiny home community.
Public Health Investments
So much of community development begins with signage and messaging–Lauren will do all she can to utilize public healthcare funds for billboards and signage around mutual belonging, crisis resources, and reciprocal citizenship.
Care Portal Model
Lauren will pilot a program in up to three Tennessee communities that connects volunteers with specific needs–like providing rides for dialysis patients–saving taxpayer dollars by leveraging trusted community networks.
Opioid Use & Generational Trauma
Lauren will identify communities with high rates of opioid-related deaths and limited economic investment, and collaborate with Tennessee philanthropists to build green spaces, educational programs, and other community infrastructure to break cycles of trauma and poverty.
Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health
Lauren will reassess partnerships between contracted organizations and the Department of Children’s Services, recommending that DCS employees work on call shifts to cover emergency needs rather than being overworked in salaried positions.
Noninvasive Therapies
Lauren will expand affordable access to therapies like neurofeedback, brainspotting, and occupational therapy to treat addictions, complex trauma, and other neurological challenges.
Cooperation with ICE
For 15 years Lauren worked in the fight against human trafficking so she takes the threat of international crime in Tennessee seriously. She supports strong, lawful immigration enforcement, but will not coordinate with federal agencies that violate the Constitution in the process. Immigrant communities contribute every day to the strength of our state and deserve to live without fear of unlawful government action. In making decisions to defend our state, she recognizes that: 1. Legal immigrants are strong advocates for fair enforcement, and their voices matter more than identity politics. 2. ICE operations should NEVER be allowed to deny constitutional rights to anyone on U.S. soil. 3. Governors do not have the authority to override federal mandates, but should use every legal and legislative tool available to defend their states against federal overreach. 4. Current federal deployment decisions–such as sending TWRA agents to Memphis and withholding National Guard support for storm cleanup–reflect poor leadership without moral or practical justification. 5. Legislation forcing all local law enforcement to join ICE’s 287(g) program will make local communities less safe, dissuading vulnerable populations from reaching out to law enforcement for help.
Sex Changes for Minors
Lauren affirms the Supreme Court decision that allowed Tennessee to ban transgender surgeries for youth under the age of 18, but remains supportive of legislation that ensures any child in Tennessee born with ambiguous genitalia has a legal path to healthcare and a vibrant life.
Balanced Approach to Abortion Laws
Lauren’s faith guides her commitment to valuing life, and her experience supporting survivors of human trafficking has shown her the urgent need for compassionate, practical solutions. Lauren supports repealing the total abortion ban and replacing it with common-sense legislation that protects women in cases such as lethal fetal anomalies, rape, incest, or human trafficking. She also believes elective abortions should not be paid for by taxpayer dollars in Tennessee, per federal law. Her approach balances respect for life with ensuring women have access to safe, necessary medical care.
Reproductive Health & Family Planning
As the aunt of two incredible children born through assisted reproductive technology, Lauren believes Tennesseans should have full access to reproductive healthcare, including contraceptives and fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). She will veto any legislation that restricts women’s access to contraceptives and supports safe, effective options for those seeking to start or grow their families. Lauren’s approach ensures that all individuals can make informed, personal choices about their reproductive health.
Vaccines
Lauren believes that Tennessee must invest in better public health information that considers parents’ concerns about vaccines while educating the public about the rise of preventative disease.
Marriage Rights
Lauren supports protecting the right of adults to marry the partner they love while respecting the freedom of a religious clergyperson, imam, minister, priest, or other individual to choose not to perform a wedding that does not align with his or her religious convictions.
Anti-Discrimination Protections
Lauren will protect LGBTQ+ Tennesseans from sex-based discrimination under employment laws. At the same time, faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations retain the right to set employment policies consistent with their religious bylaws.
Strong communities depend on public safety, civil rights, and responsible leadership. Lauren believes Tennessee can protect constitutional freedoms while pursuing policies that keep families safe and communities strong.
Strong communities depend on public safety, civil rights, and responsible leadership. Lauren believes Tennessee can protect constitutional freedoms while pursuing policies that keep families safe and communities strong.
Tennesseans deserve a government that is transparent, responsive, and accountable to voters – not political parties or special interests.
Tennesseans deserve a government that is transparent, responsive, and accountable to voters – not political parties or special interests.
Accountability Measures
Defending Against Federal Overreach
Tennessee needs a governor who will defend the borders of our state rather than cowering to unchecked federal leadership. Lauren will use every legal and bureaucratic power available to her as Governor to protect Tennessee, and will make sure we do not lose our integrity in the process.
Keeping Tennessee Courts Independent
There has been a coordinated push to eliminate the neutrality of our court system, and Lauren fully rejects any action that compromises our constitutional balance of powers. She will maintain the independence of Tennessee’s courts and ensure that judicial decisions remain free from political pressure so the rule of law is applied fairly and consistently.
Working with the Legislature
Lauren will lead by example, setting high expectations for working across the aisle. She will start by hosting regular gatherings with legislators from opposing parties, modeling the path toward humanizing one another and writing effective legislation together informed by voters.
Citizens Report
Most Tennesseans are frustrated with a lack of accountability to voters, and Lauren is committed to restoring the public's trust in the public square. She will deploy the Governor’s Office to report voter contacts weekly and publish the data summarizing verified voter input submitted on active policy issues. With this data being publicly available, citizens and lawmakers alike will be able to see where voters stand on different issues, and will allow engaged citizens to see the impact of their advocacy, knowing that their lawmakers have received the report as well.
Election Integrity and Fair Representation
Nonpartisan Local Elections
Lauren will work to restore nonpartisan county elections to keep local governance focused on problem-solving over party loyalty, and to protect schools and communities from national political polarization.
Statewide Voter Guides
Lauren will advocate for legislation directing the Secretary of State to produce nonpartisan voting guides complete with profiles submitted by candidates to accompany sample ballots that allow voters to better prepare their choices at the polls.
Ending Gerrymandering
Lauren will support an independent committee to draw district maps that encourage voter turnout and better democratic competition.
Open Primaries
In a state so heavily controlled by one party, all voters should be allowed to vote for the person they most want to govern them in order to protect democratic representation. Lauren supports keeping primaries open so all voters, no matter their political affiliation, can participate in choosing the candidates who appear in general elections.
Absentee Ballots
Lauren will work to remove barriers that prevent new voters, including students and military members, from using absentee ballots.
Protecting Voter Records
Tennessee’s government should have refused to turn over the state’s voter records to the Department of Justice in 2026. This violated the privacy of voters in Tennessee and undermined the integrity of local elections in a state consistently ranked #1 for election transparency. Lauren opposes federal overreach into Tennessee’s voter records and will defend voter privacy.
Transparent Government
Addressing Disinformation
Lauren will explore a modern “Fairness Doctrine” that balances free speech with protection against intentional disinformation. She will always defend press freedom and freedom of speech, while recognizing that deliberately misleading the public erodes trust in society and families.
Local Government Communication
Lauren feels strongly that in a digital society, it is critical to establish pathways for municipal and county governments to create content and share information from government meetings through Chief Information Officers in a manner accessible to the public, increasing engagement between citizens and their local officials.
Regular Media Briefings
Lauren is committed to holding regular press briefings with members of legacy media, as well as new media creators, regardless of political ideology, in order to keep information systems clean and consistent between Tennessee’s government and her people.
Strengthen Education & Workforce Pathways
Tennessee’s economy depends on strong schools, skilled workers, and thriving industries. Lauren believes education policy should be shaped by teachers and communities, while workforce policy should ensure Tennesseans can build stable careers.
Tennessee’s economy depends on strong schools, skilled workers, and thriving industries. Lauren believes education policy should be shaped by teachers and communities, while workforce policy should ensure Tennesseans can build stable careers.
Supporting Teachers and Students
Diversified Education Options
The No Child Left Behind era stripped public school classrooms of teachers’ creativity and forced cookie cutter schools across Tennessee. Lauren supports diversifying public school models to meet the needs of different learners, especially in rural counties.
Teacher Feedback in Policy
As a former classroom teacher, Lauren is committed to ensuring that those on the frontline of state education be at the center of conversations regarding education policy at the state level.
Benchmark Testing Reform
Lauren supports reducing excessive benchmark testing so teachers can focus on instruction, rather than unnecessary data collection.
Teacher Pay and Classroom Burden
Lauren will work to increase teacher salaries while reducing administrative burdens created by outdated burdens placed on them from the remnants of No Child Left Behind policies.
School Safety Technology
Lauren will explore tax incentives for companies providing discreet weapon detection technology to public schools so Tennessee children can focus on learning, not on their safety.
Limited Screens in Schools
Lauren supports legislation reflecting modern research by thought leaders like Dr. Jonathan Haidt on childhood development, including: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools from bell to bell, and promoting more independence, free play, and real-world responsibility for children.
Expanding Learning Opportunities
Education Symposium
Lauren will convene Tennessee homeschool co-ops, microschools, private schools, universities, community colleges, and technical schools to establish acceptable sets of education standards & discuss the future of professional learning while ensuring the freedom of education options to all families in Tennessee.
Career Pathways in High School
Lauren will propose licensing adjunct instructors in high school career courses to address the lack of teachers in Tennessee while offering part-time opportunities for local professionals.
Technical Career Training
Lauren will invest in trade education in high schools and expand pathways to Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) scholarships, especially for training electricians desperately needed in the growing data center landscape.
Digital Literacy
Lauren supports curriculum in typing, internet safety, and responsible AI use.
Supporting Workers and Labor Organizing
Protect Tennessee Workers’ Rights to Organize
Union membership in our state is about 5.7%, well below the national average, but it has grown more than 50% since 2020 as more workers seek representation. Lauren will support protecting every worker’s freedom to organize and bargain collectively, because strong workplaces help build stronger families, communities, and local economies. As Governor, Lauren will: – Protect the right of workers to organize and form unions –Support workforce development partnerships between unions, employers, and trade schools – Expand apprenticeship programs that connect workers to high-skill careers – Ensure state economic development incentives prioritize companies that respect workers and invest in Tennessee communities
Tax Breaks for Great Places to Work
Lauren will support tax incentives to expand healing-centered workplaces for second-chance programs, human trafficking survivors, and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Protecting Artists from AI
Lauren will convene groups of musicians and creatives in Tennessee to inform Tennessee lawmakers of practical legislation proposals needed to address artificial intelligence and licensing shortfalls that negatively impact the income of artists in our state.
Build Reliable Infrastructure & Energy
Tennessee’s growth depends on reliable
infrastructure, from roads and water systems to energy and transportation networks. Lauren will invest in modern infrastructure that keeps communities connected and the economy moving.
Transportation Infrastructure
Road Repairs
Lauren will address the backlog in road repairs ignored far too much by state leaders by aggressively pursuing federal infrastructure funding and coordinating with local governments.
Passenger Rail
Lauren supports exploring a statewide passenger rail system connecting Memphis to Bristol and Nashville to Chattanooga to improve mobility and economic connectivity.
Metroplex Road Systems
Lauren will work with TDOT to explore flexible lane systems that allow center lanes to shift direction during peak commute times in metro areas (NOT adding more lanes through metro neighborhoods).
Energy Infrastructure
Modernize Tennessee’s Energy Grid
A stronger energy grid means fewer outages, lower costs, and more flexibility for future technologies. Lauren will work with utilities and regional partners to upgrade transmission infrastructure so Tennessee can take advantage of new energy innovations while maintaining reliable service.
Protect the Tennessee Valley Authority
Lauren will protect the Tennessee Valley Authority from privatization to maintain affordable utility costs and healthy waterways for Tennesseans and for our bordering states.
Diversifying Energy Resources
Tennessee’s long-term energy security requires diversifying how we power our homes and industries. Lauren will support practical transitions toward nuclear power, renewables, and emerging energy technologies that strengthen reliability while reducing dependence on volatile oil markets.
Expand Nuclear Energy
Lauren supports expanding Tennessee’s nuclear energy capacity, including small modular reactors, to ensure long-term energy reliability, protect the TVA, lower utility costs, and reduce dependence on unstable energy markets.
Cut Red Tape to Unleash Renewable Energy
Many Tennessee communities face unnecessary restrictions that prevent responsible renewable energy projects from being developed. Lauren will work with local governments and utilities to review outdated regulations and remove red tape that blocks affordable energy solutions while still respecting local land-use decisions.
Utility Infrastructure
Burying Electrical Lines
Lauren will begin a long-term effort to bury power lines in high-risk areas, with direct consultation and consideration of Tennessee's linemen, utility companies, and trade schools.
Water Systems Coordination
Lauren will improve coordination between counties that share water systems by strengthening communication between local governments, regional water suppliers, and the state utility board.
Transportation Infrastructure
Road Repairs
Lauren will address the backlog in road repairs ignored far too much by state leaders by aggressively pursuing federal infrastructure funding and coordinating with local governments.
Passenger Rail
Lauren supports exploring a statewide passenger rail system connecting Memphis to Bristol and Nashville to Chattanooga to improve mobility and economic connectivity.
Metroplex Road Systems
Lauren will work with TDOT to explore flexible lane systems that allow center lanes to shift direction during peak commute times in metro areas (NOT adding more lanes through metro neighborhoods).
Energy Infrastructure
Modernize Tennessee’s Energy Grid
A stronger energy grid means fewer outages, lower costs, and more flexibility for future technologies. Lauren will work with utilities and regional partners to upgrade transmission infrastructure so Tennessee can take advantage of new energy innovations while maintaining reliable service.
Protect the Tennessee Valley Authority
Lauren will protect the Tennessee Valley Authority from privatization to maintain affordable utility costs and healthy waterways for Tennesseans and for our bordering states.
Diversifying Energy Resources
Tennessee’s long-term energy security requires diversifying how we power our homes and industries. Lauren will support practical transitions toward nuclear power, renewables, and emerging energy technologies that strengthen reliability while reducing dependence on volatile oil markets.
Expand Nuclear Energy
Lauren supports expanding Tennessee’s nuclear energy capacity, including small modular reactors, to ensure long-term energy reliability, protect the TVA, lower utility costs, and reduce dependence on unstable energy markets.
Cut Red Tape to Unleash Renewable Energy
Many Tennessee communities face unnecessary restrictions that prevent responsible renewable energy projects from being developed. Lauren will work with local governments and utilities to review outdated regulations and remove red tape that blocks affordable energy solutions while still respecting local land-use decisions.
Utility Infrastructure
Burying Electrical Lines
Lauren will begin a long-term effort to bury power lines in high-risk areas, with direct consultation and consideration of Tennessee's linemen, utility companies, and trade schools.
Water Systems Coordination
Lauren will improve coordination between counties that share water systems by strengthening communication between local governments, regional water suppliers, and the state utility board.
Restore Government Accountability
Tennesseans deserve a government that is transparent, responsive, and accountable to voters – not political parties or special interests.
Accountability Measures
Citizens Report
Most Tennesseans are frustrated with a lack of accountability to voters, and Lauren is committed to restoring the public's trust in the public square. She will deploy the Governor’s Office to report voter contacts weekly and publish the data summarizing verified voter input submitted on active policy issues. Most Tennesseans are frustrated with a lack of accountability to voters, and Lauren is committed to restoring the public's trust in the public square. She will deploy the Governor’s Office to report voter contacts weekly and publish the data summarizing verified voter input submitted on active policy issues. With this data being publicly available, citizens and lawmakers alike will be able to see where voters stand on different issues, and will allow engaged citizens to see the impact of their advocacy, knowing that their lawmakers have received the report as well.
Citizens Report
Most Tennesseans are frustrated with a lack of accountability to voters, and Lauren is committed to restoring the public's trust in the public square. She will deploy the Governor’s Office to report voter contacts weekly and publish the data summarizing verified voter input submitted on active policy issues. Most Tennesseans are frustrated with a lack of accountability to voters, and Lauren is committed to restoring the public's trust in the public square. She will deploy the Governor’s Office to report voter contacts weekly and publish the data summarizing verified voter input submitted on active policy issues. With this data being publicly available, citizens and lawmakers alike will be able to see where voters stand on different issues, and will allow engaged citizens to see the impact of their advocacy, knowing that their lawmakers have received the report as well.
Working with the Legislature
Lauren will lead by example, setting high expectations for working across the aisle. She will start by hosting regular gatherings with legislators from opposing parties, modeling the path toward humanizing one another and writing effective legislation together informed by voters.
Keeping Tennessee Courts Independent
There has been a coordinated push to eliminate the neutrality of our court system, and Lauren fully rejects any action that compromises our constitutional balance of powers. She will maintain the independence of Tennessee’s courts and ensure that judicial decisions remain free from political pressure so the rule of law is applied fairly and consistently.
Defending Against Federal Overreach
Tennessee needs a governor who will defend the borders of our state rather than cowering to unchecked federal leadership. Lauren will use every legal and bureaucratic power available to her as Governor to protect Tennessee, and will make sure we do not lose our integrity in the process.
Election Integrity and Fair Representation
Protecting Voter Records
Tennessee’s government should have refused to turn over the state’s voter records to the Department of Justice in 2026. This violated the privacy of voters in Tennessee and undermined the integrity of local elections in a state consistently ranked #1 for election transparency. Lauren opposes federal overreach into Tennessee’s voter records and will defend voter privacy.
Absentee Ballots
Lauren will work to remove barriers that prevent new voters, including students and military members, from using absentee ballots.
Open Primaries
In a state so heavily controlled by one party, all voters should be allowed to vote for the person they most want to govern them in order to protect democratic representation. Lauren supports keeping primaries open so all voters, no matter their political affiliation, can participate in choosing the candidates who appear in general elections.
Ending Gerrymandering
Lauren will support an independent committee to draw district maps that encourage voter turnout and better democratic competition.
Statewide Voter Guides
Lauren will advocate for legislation directing the Secretary of State to produce nonpartisan voting guides complete with profiles submitted by candidates to accompany sample ballots that allow voters to better prepare their choices at the polls.
Nonpartisan Local Elections
Lauren will work to restore nonpartisan county elections to keep local governance focused on problem-solving over party loyalty, and to protect schools and communities from national political polarization.
Transparent Government
Regular Media Briefings
Lauren is committed to holding regular press briefings with members of legacy media, as well as new media creators, regardless of political ideology, in order to keep information systems clean and consistent between Tennessee’s government and her people.
Local Government Communication
Lauren feels strongly that in a digital society, it is critical to establish pathways for municipal and county governments to create content and share information from government meetings through Chief Information Officers in a manner accessible to the public, increasing engagement between citizens and their local officials.
Addressing Disinformation
Lauren will explore a modern “Fairness Doctrine” that balances free speech with protection against intentional disinformation. She will always defend press freedom and freedom of speech, while recognizing that deliberately misleading the public erodes trust in society and families.
Support Rural Communities & Agriculture
Rural communities are the backbone of Tennessee’s economy and culture. Lauren’s administration will focus on keeping farms viable, strengthening rural healthcare, and investing in infrastructure that connects communities.
Rural communities are the backbone of Tennessee’s economy and culture. Lauren’s administration will focus on keeping farms viable, strengthening rural healthcare, and investing in infrastructure that connects communities.
Agriculture and Farming
Farm-to-Table Tax Relief
Lauren supports expanding tax exemptions for farm-to-table markets and incentivizing regulatory compliance in agricultural businesses.
Made in Tennessee Agriculture
Lauren will explore opportunities to produce and market beef, poultry, and pork products inside the borders of Tennessee that can be distributed safely, outside of burdensome USDA and FDA regulations.
Keep Big Corporations Out of Small Farms
Lauren will explore creating a program within the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to connect retiring farmers and ranchers with the next generation unable to afford land due to farm consolidation caused by corporations and mega-farms buying up farmland.
Preserve Farmland by Stacking Energy
Lauren supports expanding “stacked land use” that allows vulnerable family farms to bury data centers under their land, utilizing the heat emitted from the use of these data centers to then convert to distributed energy. This allows Tennessee to preserve its beautiful landscape, generate additional revenue for the state, and offer additional revenue streams for farmers.
Farmer Mental Health
Lauren is deeply concerned about rising farmer suicides and will support expanding rural mental health access, strengthening peer-to-peer agricultural support networks, and reducing financial pressures that isolate family farmers.
Summer EBT and Local Food Systems
Lauren supports reinstating summer EBT funding to connect SNAP families with Tennessee farmers, while helping parents learn how to prepare fresh, local food affordably during the summer months. She will also support incentivizing participation in nutrition classes with additional SNAP funds.
Conserving Tennessee’s Land and Water
Taking Politics Out of Tennessee’s Environment
From the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River, Tennessee’s forests, rivers, and farmland are part of our shared heritage. Lauren believes Tennessee can conserve its natural resources while empowering farmers, hunters, landowners, and local communities to protect the landscapes that define our state.
Land Stewardship Through Regenerative Agriculture
Farmers have always been Tennessee’s original conservationists. Lauren will support voluntary programs that help farmers strengthen soil health, reduce erosion, and protect water quality while keeping family farms productive for future generations.
Voluntary Conservation Incentives for Landowners
Because over 80% of Tennessee’s 14 million acres of forest are privately owned, conservation works best when landowners are partners rather than targets of regulation. Lauren will expand existing voluntary conservation incentives, such as tax benefits, stewardship programs, and technical support, to help landowners protect wildlife habitat, forests, and waterways while maintaining the economic value of their land.
Protecting Tennessee’s Waterways
More than half of Tennessee’s rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands are considered impaired due to pollution, runoff, litter, and aging wastewater systems. Lauren will strengthen coordination between farmers, municipalities, and conservation partners to reduce runoff, address pollution, and restore healthy waterways that protect drinking water, recreation, and wildlife.
Supporting Hunters, Anglers, and Outdoor Recreation
Hunters and anglers have long been some of America’s most dedicated conservationists. Lauren will protect wildlife habitats and expand responsible access to parks, trails, and public lands that support rural economies and connect Tennessee families to the outdoors.
Rural Healthcare
Save Independent Hospitals
Lauren will work to expose corporate health insurance lobbyists trying to consolidate independent health systems, especially in rural Tennessee by tying federal rural health grants to the elimination of Certificates of Need.
Maternity Care Deserts
Over a third of Tennessee counties are considered maternity care deserts and this crisis disproportionately impacts rural, low-income, and Black Tennesseans. Lauren will address maternity care deserts as a public health priority, paying particular attention to dismantling racialized maternity mortality inequities in our state.
Agriculture and Farming
Farm-to-Table Tax Relief
Lauren supports expanding tax exemptions for farm-to-table markets and incentivizing regulatory compliance in agricultural businesses.
Made in Tennessee Agriculture
Lauren will explore opportunities to produce and market beef, poultry, and pork products inside the borders of Tennessee that can be distributed safely, outside of burdensome USDA and FDA regulations.
Keep Big Corporations Out of Small Farms
Lauren will explore creating a program within the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to connect retiring farmers and ranchers with the next generation unable to afford land due to farm consolidation caused by corporations and mega-farms buying up farmland.
Preserve Farmland by Stacking Energy
Lauren supports expanding “stacked land use” that allows vulnerable family farms to bury data centers under their land, utilizing the heat emitted from the use of these data centers to then convert to distributed energy. This allows Tennessee to preserve its beautiful landscape, generate additional revenue for the state, and offer additional revenue streams for farmers.
Farmer Mental Health
Lauren is deeply concerned about rising farmer suicides and will support expanding rural mental health access, strengthening peer-to-peer agricultural support networks, and reducing financial pressures that isolate family farmers.
Summer EBT and Local Food Systems
Lauren supports reinstating summer EBT funding to connect SNAP families with Tennessee farmers, while helping parents learn how to prepare fresh, local food affordably during the summer months. She will also support incentivizing participation in nutrition classes with additional SNAP funds.
Conserving Tennessee’s Land and Water
Taking Politics Out of Tennessee’s Environment
From the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River, Tennessee’s forests, rivers, and farmland are part of our shared heritage. Lauren believes Tennessee can conserve its natural resources while empowering farmers, hunters, landowners, and local communities to protect the landscapes that define our state.
Land Stewardship Through Regenerative Agriculture
Farmers have always been Tennessee’s original conservationists. Lauren will support voluntary programs that help farmers strengthen soil health, reduce erosion, and protect water quality while keeping family farms productive for future generations.
Voluntary Conservation Incentives for Landowners
Because over 80% of Tennessee’s 14 million acres of forest are privately owned, conservation works best when landowners are partners rather than targets of regulation. Lauren will expand existing voluntary conservation incentives, such as tax benefits, stewardship programs, and technical support, to help landowners protect wildlife habitat, forests, and waterways while maintaining the economic value of their land.
Protecting Tennessee’s Waterways
More than half of Tennessee’s rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands are considered impaired due to pollution, runoff, litter, and aging wastewater systems. Lauren will strengthen coordination between farmers, municipalities, and conservation partners to reduce runoff, address pollution, and restore healthy waterways that protect drinking water, recreation, and wildlife.
Supporting Hunters, Anglers, and Outdoor Recreation
Hunters and anglers have long been some of America’s most dedicated conservationists. Lauren will protect wildlife habitats and expand responsible access to parks, trails, and public lands that support rural economies and connect Tennessee families to the outdoors.
Rural Healthcare
Save Independent Hospitals
Lauren will work to expose corporate health insurance lobbyists trying to consolidate independent health systems, especially in rural Tennessee by tying federal rural health grants to the elimination of Certificates of Need.
Maternity Care Deserts
Over a third of Tennessee counties are considered maternity care deserts and this crisis disproportionately impacts rural, low-income, and Black Tennesseans. Lauren will address maternity care deserts as a public health priority, paying particular attention to dismantling racialized maternity mortality inequities in our state.
Protect Safety, Rights & Community
Strong communities depend on public safety, civil rights, and responsible leadership. Lauren believes Tennessee can protect constitutional freedoms while pursuing policies that keep families safe and communities strong.
Public Safety and Criminal Justice
Support for First Responders
Lauren will expand mental health services and trauma-informed training for officers across all levels of law enforcement.
Protecting Those on the Front Lines
Lauren supports protecting those on the front lines of emergencies through leadership focused on vibrant communities, practical peacebuilding, and narrowed targets.
Criminal Justice Reform
Lauren will conduct a full assessment of Tennessee’s prison system, both public and private partnerships, to reduce the incarcerated population in the state by 15% in her first term as Governor. She will invest in behavioral health services and education resources for those incarcerated due to substance abuse to reduce recidivism rates, keep families together, and save taxpayer dollars.
Second Chance Programs
Lauren will expand rehabilitative programs in Tennessee prisons to increase GED graduations, cognitive behavioral therapy skills, and employment pathways back to civilian life.
Voting Rights Restoration
Lauren supports legislation that creates practical pathways for justice-involved youth and adults to regain voting rights.
Combating AI Deepfakes and Digital Exploitation
Drawing on 15 years of work against human trafficking and exploitation, Lauren supports the Take It Down Act and expanding defamation laws to ban deepfakes that use someone’s name, image, or likeness without consent or to falsely represent their actions.
2nd Amendment
Bring Gun Legislation to the 21st Century
The 2nd Amendment was written when muskets were the deadliest personal firearms. Today, unchecked gun laws are encroaching on our 1st amendment rights. Lauren believes that Tennesseans should not be afraid to practice their freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or freedom of assembly for fear of gun violence.
Protecting Sportsmanship and Self-Protection
It is nonnegotiable to Lauren that sportsmanship and self-defense remain constitutionally protected in Tennessee.
Universal Background Checks
Lauren supports closing the loophole that currently requires a background check when purchasing a weapon from a licensed gun store, but not from a private seller or at a gun show. Background checks mostly take less than 15 minutes, and 99.6% of Tennesseans live within 10 miles of a licensed firearm dealer so this is common-sense policy that can prevent firearms from getting in the hands of convicted felons, domestic abusers, and others aiming to harm the people of Tennessee.
Temporary Transfer Laws
Lauren will support creating a legal pathway to transfer gun possession away from someone who presents an imminent risk to themselves or others to prevent suicide. There are 21 states that have enacted similar laws showing an effective prevention of firearm suicides (Connecticut alone saw a 14% decrease in firearm suicides after passing this legislation).
Secure Storage Laws
Tennessee leads the nation in the number of firearms stolen from vehicles, and firearm injury has been the leading cause of death for Tennessee children since 2017. Adults have a responsibility to keep children safe and Lauren supports requirements on safe firearm storage in vehicles to prevent theft and protect children.
Civil Rights and Personal Freedom
Anti-Discrimination Protections
Lauren will protect LGBTQ+ Tennesseans from sex-based discrimination under employment laws. At the same time, faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations retain the right to set employment policies consistent with their religious bylaws.
Marriage Rights
Lauren supports protecting the right of adults to marry the partner they love while respecting the freedom of a religious clergyperson, imam, minister, priest, or other individual to choose not to perform a wedding that does not align with his or her religious convictions.
Vaccines
Lauren believes that Tennessee must invest in better public health information that considers parents’ concerns about vaccines while educating the public about the rise of preventative disease.
Reproductive Health & Family Planning
As the aunt of two incredible children born through assisted reproductive technology, Lauren believes Tennesseans should have full access to reproductive healthcare, including contraceptives and fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). She will veto any legislation that restricts women’s access to contraceptives and supports safe, effective options for those seeking to start or grow their families. Lauren’s approach ensures that all individuals can make informed, personal choices about their reproductive health.
Balanced Approach to Abortion Laws
Lauren’s faith guides her commitment to valuing life, and her experience supporting survivors of human trafficking has shown her the urgent need for compassionate, practical solutions. Lauren supports repealing the total abortion ban and replacing it with common-sense legislation that protects women in cases such as lethal fetal anomalies, rape, incest, or human trafficking. She also believes elective abortions should not be paid for by taxpayer dollars in Tennessee, per federal law. Her approach balances respect for life with ensuring women have access to safe, necessary medical care.
Sex Changes for Minors
Lauren affirms the Supreme Court decision that allowed Tennessee to ban transgender surgeries for youth under the age of 18, but remains supportive of legislation that ensures any child in Tennessee born with ambiguous genitalia has a legal path to healthcare and a vibrant life.
Immigration and Community Safety
Cooperation with ICE
For 15 years Lauren worked in the fight against human trafficking so she takes the threat of international crime in Tennessee seriously. She supports strong, lawful immigration enforcement, but will not coordinate with federal agencies that violate the Constitution in the process. Immigrant communities contribute every day to the strength of our state and deserve to live without fear of unlawful government action. In making decisions to defend our state, I recognize that: Legal immigrants are strong advocates for fair enforcement, and their voices matter more than identity politics. ICE operations should NEVER be allowed to deny constitutional rights to anyone on U.S. soil. Governors do not have the authority to override federal mandates, but should use every legal and legislative tool available to defend their states against federal overreach. Current federal deployment decisions–such as sending TWRA agents to Memphis and withholding National Guard support for storm cleanup–reflect poor leadership without moral or practical justification. Legislation forcing all local law enforcement to join ICE’s 287(g) program will make local communities less safe, dissuading vulnerable populations from reaching out to law enforcement for help.
Mental Health and Community Well-Being
Noninvasive Therapies
Lauren will expand affordable access to therapies like neurofeedback, brainspotting, and occupational therapy to treat addictions, complex trauma, and other neurological challenges.
Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health
Lauren will reassess partnerships between contracted organizations and the Department of Children’s Services, recommending that DCS employees work on call shifts to cover emergency needs rather than being overworked in salaried positions.
Opioid Use & Generational Trauma
Lauren will identify communities with high rates of opioid-related deaths and limited economic investment, and collaborate with Tennessee philanthropists to build green spaces, educational programs, and other community infrastructure to break cycles of trauma and poverty.
Care Portal Model
Lauren will pilot a program in up to three Tennessee communities that connects volunteers with specific needs–like providing rides for dialysis patients–saving taxpayer dollars by leveraging trusted community networks.
Public Health Investments
So much of community development begins with signage and messaging–Lauren will do all she can to utilize public healthcare funds for billboards and signage around mutual belonging, crisis resources, and reciprocal citizenship.
Safe Shelter for the Unhoused
Lauren will pilot “palliative housing” in up to three communities, partnering locally to provide temporary or long-term support to those experiencing momentary or chronic homelessness, modeled after Austin, Texas’ Community First! tiny home community.
Supporting Families Needing Complex Services
She will prioritize expanding therapeutic environments for children and adults who are medically fragile or behaviorally complex, across classrooms, housing, employment, and community services.
Lauren’s Leadership Promise
You don’t have to agree with every policy to support independent leadership and Lauren doesn’t expect you to. She is running as an Independent because, like many Tennesseans, she doesn’t fit perfectly into the platforms of the major parties.
What she can promise is this: she will make decisions guided by data, transparency, and the needs of the people, not by the status quo or party politics. Lauren is committed to acting in good faith, listening to new evidence, and being willing to adjust her approach when it benefits Tennesseans.
If you want a governor who puts the people first, acts with integrity, and continually seeks better solutions, Lauren is the candidate for you.
You don’t have to agree with every policy to support independent leadership and Lauren doesn’t expect you to. She is running as an Independent because, like many Tennesseans, she doesn’t fit perfectly into the platforms of the major parties.
What she can promise is this: she will make decisions guided by data, transparency, and the needs of the people, not by the status quo or party politics. Lauren is committed to acting in good faith, listening to new evidence, and being willing to adjust her approach when it benefits Tennesseans.
If you want a governor who puts the people first, acts with integrity, and continually seeks better solutions, Lauren is the candidate for you.
You don’t have to agree with every policy to support independent leadership and Lauren doesn’t expect you to. She is running as an Independent because, like many Tennesseans, she doesn’t fit perfectly into the platforms of the major parties.
What she can promise is this: she will make decisions guided by data, transparency, and the needs of the people, not by the status quo or party politics. Lauren is committed to acting in good faith, listening to new evidence, and being willing to adjust her approach when it benefits Tennesseans.
If you want a governor who puts the people first, acts with integrity, and continually seeks better solutions, Lauren is the candidate for you.
Lauren’s Leadership Promise
