Tim Cyr for Governor of Tennessee

I'm a U.S. Army veteran, National Guardsman, and small farmer with a degree in plant and soil science. Whether I'm working as a small-engine repairman or managing my land, I'm a fixer who believes in common-sense solutions. A hunter and conservationist, I know that protecting Tennessee’s beauty is a sacred duty.

As a stroke survivor, I understand what it means to be "down and out" and have the grit to get back up. I am an old-school Tennessee Democrat guided by my Christian faith, and a regular guy who starts every morning in the Word with my wife. I ask “What Would Jesus Do?” and believe the answer is simple: help the poor, uplift every family, and lead with love instead of judgment. I promise to serve only ONE term as Governor. I will NOT seek reelection in 2030.

1. Rural Access to Jobs & Services

Rural Tennesseans shouldn’t have to sit in Nashville traffic just to get to work. We must expand rail and bus access. Working from home and telecommuting must be expanded so families can live and work where they want.

2. No Child Should Go Hungry

Restore every dollar, roughly $84 million, stripped from our kids’ summer food programs. Less-fortunate children deserve to eat in the summer. Remove the sales tax off grocery items like every other state is doing.

3. Mental Health Care

Tennessee is near the bottom in mental health. We’re fixing that on Day One. My wife worked in the field for years. I survived a serious stroke at age 30 and know what “down and out” feels like.

4. Fix Middle Tennessee Traffic & Make Our Roads Safer

Nashville ranks among the worst for crashes. We tackle it head-on, even if it steps on the toes of lawyers profiting from the chaos. Safer roads save lives and money.

5. Gun Rights

Proud supporter of the 2nd Amendment in Tennessee. I own a pistol and love to hunt. I will NOT take away your guns. I want to give every Tennessee citizen the mental healthcare required to end gun violence.

6. Public Schools First - Pay Teachers What They’re Worth

Let’s put every dollar into making Tennessee public schools #1. Raise teacher pay, expand pre-K, and make sure rural schools get the resources they need. Every child deserves a great education right here at home. I will continue supporting the great work of Vanderbilt, Memphis, Knoxville and our other outstanding colleges.

7. Working Families Deserve Real Support

Paid family leave. Affordable childcare. And a Tennessee state minimum wage of $15 an hour. The feds in Washington shouldn’t be telling us what to do while other states get ahead. Tennessee families need to get ahead too!

8. Full Medicaid Expansion to Save Rural Hospitals

I will push Tennessee to fully expand Medicaid and bring in the federal money we’re leaving on the table. Save our rural hospitals, expand mental-health access, and give working families the healthcare they need. Our tax dollars go to DC so let’s bring them back home.

9. Treat Addiction Like the Disease It Is

Addiction is a disease, not a crime. Putting people in jail just turns them into better criminals. We need real mental-health treatment and help not more prison beds. I’ll fight for recovery programs that actually work.

10. Honoring Our Veterans & National Guard Families

As a U.S. Army veteran and National Guardsman, I’ll make Tennessee the most veteran-friendly state in America: full services, no VA red tape, priority mental health, and real support for Guard families.

11. Women’s Rights

Overturning Roe v Wade was a mistake. Young women are the biggest victims of this. I will restore abortion access to the women who need it most.

12. Faith, Family & Uplifting Every Tennessean

I’m a regular Christian, not a big church-goer these days, but my wife and I do Bible study every morning especially since COVID. I ask “What Would Jesus Do?” every day. That means helping the poor, uplifting every family in Tennessee, and leading with love instead of judgment. I’m not here to preach or tell anyone else what their faith should be, I just want to serve you!

13. Expanding Broadband as a Utility

In 2026, high-speed internet is like electricity. You can’t run a farm or a home-school without it. We’ll treat fiber-optic as a public utility to make sure the last mile in rural Tennessee isn’t left in the dark.

14. Supporting the Tennessee Farmer

Farming is our backbone. I’ll cut the red tape that prevents small-scale farmers from selling directly to local schools and businesses. Let’s keep Tennessee money in Tennessee soil.

15. Small Business: The Engine of Main Street

I’ll create a Small Business Shield to protect local shops from predatory out-of-state corporate tactics and simplify the licensing process so a regular person can start a business in a week, not a year.

16. Clean Water & Fresh Air

Whether you’re fishing in the Tennessee River or hiking in the Smokies, our outdoors belong to us. I’ll crack down on companies dumping waste into our water: no exceptions, no excuses.