State

State Senator, 17th District

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state senator votes on Tennessee laws and the state budget in the General Assembly.

Candidates Compare by issue

Lindsey Patrick-Wright

Democratic

Librarian · Mt Juliet

The gist

Proposes voluntary universal pre-K for every Tennessee family.
Opposes expanding private school vouchers.
Supports eliminating the state grocery tax.
Opposes new data centers in District 17 communities.
Supports unions and collective bargaining.

More about Lindsey

View sources (2)

Proposes voluntary universal pre-K for every Tennessee family.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: TN Senate District 17 Democratic primary (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“One of my top priorities is making voluntary Universal Pre-K available to every Tennessee family”
Opposes expanding private school vouchers.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: TN Senate District 17 Democratic primary (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I want to stop the expansion of private school vouchers and keep public dollars invested in our public schools.”
Supports eliminating the state grocery tax.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: TN Senate District 17 Democratic primary (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters (VOTE411) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“The Legislature should eliminate the state grocery tax”
Opposes new data centers in District 17 communities.
Issues - Lindsey for TN
Campaign website · Lindsey for TN · lindseyfortn.com
“No new data centers in our communities”
Supports unions and collective bargaining.
Issues - Lindsey for TN
Campaign website · Lindsey for TN · lindseyfortn.com
“Lindsey is proudly pro-union.”

Mark Pody

RepublicanIncumbent

State senator; insurance and financial planning · Lebanon

The gist

Sponsored law allowing school boards to open meetings with prayer.In office
Sponsored limits on the governor's emergency powers.In office
Sponsored law saying artificial intelligence is not a legal person.In office
Sponsored license denials for entities supporting terrorist groups.In office

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

More about Mark

View sources (1)

Sponsored law allowing school boards to open meetings with prayer.
Legislation sponsored by Senator Mark Pody, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: SB1957 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“authorizes a local board of education to open a meeting of the board with a prayer led by a member of the board”
Sponsored limits on the governor's emergency powers.
Legislation sponsored by Senator Mark Pody, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: SB0027 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“issued by the governor under the governor's emergency management powers from contravening, suspending, or conflicting with a provision of the Tennessee Constitution”
Sponsored law saying artificial intelligence is not a legal person.
Legislation sponsored by Senator Mark Pody, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: SB0837 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“clarifies that a "person," as used in Tennessee Code Annotated, does not include artificial intelligence”
Sponsored license denials for entities supporting terrorist groups.
Legislation sponsored by Senator Mark Pody, 114th General Assembly
Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: SB1956 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov
“prohibits a state agency from issuing or renewing a certification, registration, license, or permit to a corporate entity”

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; 6 issues covered in this race.