Candidates
District
6
Results
The incumbent, Diane Black (R), retained her seat, unchallenged by a Democratic candidate. She raised more than 3.4 million dollars for her campaign, including a personal contribution of 1.3 million. This will be Black’s second term.
Winner:
Diane Black (Republican)
Congresswoman Diane Black was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. Prior to serving in Washington, Black was a member of the state house and senate. Black also served as Chair of the Senate Republican caucus and was elected Freshman Class Representative to the Republican Policy Committee in 2010. Black’s platform focuses on fiscal restraint and curbing government debt, and enacting market-based health care reform.
Website: black.house.gov
Social Media
Facebook: DianeBlackTN06
Twitter: @RepDianeBlack. 889 tweets, 4,203 followers
Finances
Top PAC donors:
Industries: $15,000
Wholesalers: $15,000
Insurance: $12,500
Health Insurance: $10,900
Positions*
Abortion
Gay marriage
Affordable Care Act
Arizona immigration law
“Stop the War on Coal Act”
Increase oil drilling / pipelines
Decreased restrictions on gun ownership
Social Security privatization
Norquist no new taxes pledge
Challengers:
Rachel Robinson (Democrat)
Rachel Robinson is an adjunct professor of English Composition at Volunteer State’s Livingston Campus and Tennessee Technological University and is currently pursuing an EdS degree from TTU.
Robinson volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and serves as the Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries at her church. Robinson participates in other community organizations and events, including WCTE-TV’s Great TV Auction, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and the Cookeville Fall Fun Fest.
Robinson is running as a write-in candidate.
Website: rachelrobinsonforcongress.com
Social Media
Facebook: RachelRobinsonTN6
Twitter: @WriteRachel4TN6. 195 tweets, 33 followers
Finances: None reported
Positions
No stated positions on specific issues.
Patrick John Riley (Green Party)
Patrick John Riley works as a houseboat broker and singer-songwriter. He is a former health education specialist, teacher and real estate developer.
Riley supports the Libertarian views of Ron Paul.
Websites: Green Party of Tennessee, patrileyforcongress.com
Social Media
Facebook: none
Twitter: none
Finances: None reported
Positions
No specific positions on issues listed here. Riley does have a positions page on other issues: patrileyforcongress.com/key-values
Scott Beasley (Independent)
Scott Beasley’s platform focuses on cutting government spending, supporting second amendment rights, and reforming social security.
Website: none
Social Media
Facebook: Beasley34
Twitter: none
Finances: None reported
Positions
No stated positions on specific issues. Main focus on Facebook is cutting government spending.
* Positions on issues are based on statements from the candidates’ websites, social media and/or voting records. If the candidate did not express a clear and consistent opinion on an issue, he or she is listed as taking no position.
The charts are not intended to provide an in-depth analysis of a candidate’s platform. Visit the candidates’ websites or social media sites, if available, for more information on their positions on these issues.
• The Affordable Care Act, popularly called Obamacare, is a set of laws that prevents people from being excluded from health insurance coverage but requires everyone to purchase health insurance. It was enacted on March 23, 2010, with various provisions being phased in at different times over the next several years.
• The Arizona immigration law is legislation passed in Arizona that requires police officers, while enforcing other laws, to question the immigration status of those suspected of being in the country illegally. The two key issues are whether it is constitutional to require citizens to prove their citizenship to law enforcement officers, and whether it is constitutional for a state to have its own immigration policy separate from the federal government.
• The Stop the War on Coal Act was passed by the House on Sept. 20, 2012, and would significantly deregulate the coal industry from environmental statutes. It would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other sources, and prevent rules on the storage and disposal of coal ash and limit Clean Water Act rules. It would also prevent any new rules regulating mountaintop removal coal mining or toxic air emissions standards for coal-fired power plants. Proponents argue that new regulations will cause energy prices to rise.
• The Norquist no new taxes pledge: Grover Norquist is the founder and president of an anti-tax advocacy group called Americans for Tax Reform, which petitions members of congress to sign a pledge to never raise taxes under any circumstances.