Robert Vick (Independent)

- Forty years in East Tennessee public schools as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal and athletic director. Runs as a Christian independent.
- "Rural Readiness": align high school courses with local industry needs to open pathways to higher-paying rural jobs.

Robert Vick graduated from Jefferson County High School. Vick earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1985, a graduate degree from Lincoln Memorial University in 1995, and a graduate degree from East Tennessee State University in 2004. Vick's career experience includes working as an education administration.

https://drvick4tn.com/meet_dr_robert_c

Protect Rural Healthcare

Protect Agricultural land from
- Land loss
- Economic Squeeze
- Mental health crisis in rural communities

Energy
- Seeking Accountability at the TVA:
- Will use the governor's office to pursue a seat at the table during TVA planning processes. I will advocate for board appointees who prioritize ratepayer protection over corporate expansion, ensuring that the "least cost" mission of the TVA is upheld.

TN Home Uplift
- We will expand state partnerships to weatherize homes in our most burdened zip codes. By sealing drafts and upgrading old HVAC unites, we can lower a family's power bill by 20-30% permanently.

Cut Tax on essentials
- Will propose a state sales tax holiday or permanent reduction on energy-efficient home repairs and appliances, making it easier for middle class families to lower their energy cost.

Education
- Value Each Student
- Prioritize Teachers
- Deprioratize Standardized testing in favor of Teacher autonomy
- Literacy
- Vocational Training
- School safety though multilayered policy

Public Safety and Crime - Principles
- Accountability for those that breaks the law
- Protection for the rights of the innocent.
- Support Law Enforcement
- Target Violent Offenders
- Address Root Causes
- Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
- Preserve the RULE OF LAW.
- Follow DUE PROCESS.
- Fairness for ALL.

Mental Health
- Transform schools into centers of support
- Breaking the cycle of poverty and crime. We need to shift our focus from strictly punitive measures and addressing the "root causes" stressors that create negative environments.
- Bridging the rural access gap. Many of our neighbors in rural Tennessee live in "mental health deserts. Zip codes should never determine whether a Tennessean can access the life-saving care they need.

Cost of Living

Transportation
- Look into fixing the fuel tax to fund fixes to these issues.
- Urban Congestion. Our major cities, particularly Nashville and Knoxville, are experiencing severe traffic delays. The state ranks 27th in the nation for urban congestion, with freight bottlenecks threatening Tennessee's status as a top-tier logistic hub.
- Rural Infrastructure Strains: Over 650 miles of rural interstates remain in their original two-lane configuration, despite a projected 54% increase in truck tonnage over the next 25 years. Furthermore, rural roads remain significantly more dangerous, with fatality rates more than double those of other roads.
- The "BRIDGE CLIFF": Approximately 7,900 bridges across the state are currently rated in "fair" or "poor" condition. Many of these structures are reaching their 50-year design life, creating an impending surge of necessary replacements.
- Population Outpacing Pavement: With an influx of hundreds of thousands of new residents, the demand for road capacity is growing faster than projects can be completed, leading to backlog that competes with the need of new construction.

Against school Vouchers

Immigration
- Robust but humane immigration policies

Does not support organized prayer in schools