The Gist
Home

State

State Representative, 42nd District

Vote for
1
Term
2 years
Candidates
2
Election
Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Tennessee laws and the state budget in the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Photo of Trenton Tyler Strode
Trenton Tyler StrodeCampaign photo — VOTE411 (League of Women Voters)

Trenton Tyler Strode

Democratic

Health information management professional · Cookeville

The gist

  • Supports fully funding public schools and career-technical education.
  • Supports statewide data center standards with strong local voice.
  • Supports workforce training and affordable child care to ease costs.
  • Supports government neutrality toward all religious beliefs.
  • Supports returning more state resources to Upper Cumberland communities.
More about Trenton
View sources (2)
  1. Supports fully funding public schools and career-technical education.

    VOTE411 voter guide: Tennessee House of Representatives District 42

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Tennessee (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “The legislature should fully fund public schools, increase support for teachers, expand career and technical education”
    Commission candidate advocates for full school funding

    News coverage · Herald-Citizen (Cookeville) · May 20, 2026 · herald-citizen.com

    “demanding stronger, long-term public school funding protections”
  2. Supports statewide data center standards with strong local voice.

    VOTE411 voter guide: Tennessee House of Representatives District 42

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Tennessee (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “local governments should have a strong voice in determining whether these projects fit their community's long-term plans”
  3. Supports workforce training and affordable child care to ease costs.

    VOTE411 voter guide: Tennessee House of Representatives District 42

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Tennessee (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “investing in workforce training, expanding access to affordable childcare, protecting rural healthcare, encouraging housing development that meets community needs”
  4. Supports government neutrality toward all religious beliefs.

    VOTE411 voter guide: Tennessee House of Representatives District 42

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Tennessee (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “protecting every Tennessean's right to practice their faith, or no faith at all, without government favoring one belief over another”
  5. Supports returning more state resources to Upper Cumberland communities.

    VOTE411 voter guide: Tennessee House of Representatives District 42

    Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters of Tennessee (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org

    “I believe we should return more state resources to communities like the Upper Cumberland”
Photo of Ryan D. Williams
Ryan D. WilliamsOfficial portrait — Tennessee General Assembly

Ryan D. Williams

RepublicanIncumbent

Business development director, construction company · Cookeville

The gist

  • Sponsored law directing how opioid settlement funds are allocated.In office
  • Sponsored law studying pay for Tennessee law enforcement officers.In office
  • Sponsored law requiring state certification of fertility clinics.In office
  • Sponsored the Better Spending, Better Schools Act of 2026.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Ryan
View sources (1)
  1. Sponsored law directing how opioid settlement funds are allocated.

    Representative Ryan Williams: bills sponsored in the 114th General Assembly

    Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · wapp.capitol.tn.gov

    “requires the Tennessee opioid abatement council to allocate funds held in the opioid abatement fund in a certain manner”
  2. Sponsored law studying pay for Tennessee law enforcement officers.

    Representative Ryan Williams: bills sponsored in the 114th General Assembly

    Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · wapp.capitol.tn.gov

    “requires TACIR to conduct a study of the salaries and other benefits paid to state and local law enforcement officers”
  3. Sponsored law requiring state certification of fertility clinics.

    Representative Ryan Williams: bills sponsored in the 114th General Assembly

    Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · wapp.capitol.tn.gov

    “requires each fertility clinic operating in this state to obtain a certificate from the department of health”
  4. Sponsored the Better Spending, Better Schools Act of 2026.

    Representative Ryan Williams: bills sponsored in the 114th General Assembly

    Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · wapp.capitol.tn.gov

    “Better Spending, Better Schools Act of 2026”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 7 issues covered in this race.