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State Senator, 23rd 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.

David Lee Marcum

Independent

Small business owner · McEwen

The gist

  • Supports studies to guide education funding decisions.
  • Proposes studying ways to close affordability gaps.
  • Supports cautious data center rules that weigh health impacts.
More about David
View sources (1)
  1. Supports studies to guide education funding decisions.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Tennessee Senate District 23 (candidate questionnaire)

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

    “Proper investigative studies to better understand and follow through key funding to achieve our goals”
  2. Proposes studying ways to close affordability gaps.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Tennessee Senate District 23 (candidate questionnaire)

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

    “Study the avenues to address the gaps”
  3. Supports cautious data center rules that weigh health impacts.

    VOTE411 Voter Guide: Tennessee Senate District 23 (candidate questionnaire)

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

    “Identify key analytical impact upon the health & economical implications combined cautiously and realistically while listening to our communities most effected.”
Photo of Kerry Roberts
Kerry RobertsOfficial portrait — Tennessee General Assembly (embedded in the member page)

Kerry Roberts

RepublicanIncumbent

State senator; CPA and small business owner · Springfield

The gist

  • Opposes abortion, holding that life begins at conception.
  • Supports medical cannabis reform.
  • Supports legal immigration and opposes illegal immigration.
  • Opposes Common Core education standards.
  • Sponsored state reporting of foreign purchases of Tennessee land.In office
  • Sponsored protections for Buffalo and Duck river segments.In office

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

More about Kerry
View sources (2)
  1. Opposes abortion, holding that life begins at conception.

    Issues - Senator Kerry Roberts

    Campaign website · Friends of Kerry Roberts · kerryroberts.com

    “I'm 100% pro life with the belief that life begins at conception.”
  2. Supports medical cannabis reform.

    Issues - Senator Kerry Roberts

    Campaign website · Friends of Kerry Roberts · kerryroberts.com

    “I'm in favor of medical cannabis reform.”
  3. Supports legal immigration and opposes illegal immigration.

    Issues - Senator Kerry Roberts

    Campaign website · Friends of Kerry Roberts · kerryroberts.com

    “I'm for LEGAL immigration and against ILLEGAL immigration.”
  4. Opposes Common Core education standards.

    Issues - Senator Kerry Roberts

    Campaign website · Friends of Kerry Roberts · kerryroberts.com

    “those who recognized early on that Common Core was about power, not education.”
  5. Sponsored state reporting of foreign purchases of Tennessee land.

    Legislation sponsored by Senator Kerry Roberts, 114th General Assembly

    Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: SB0519 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov

    “requires foreign persons who purchase land in this state and who file a report of such purchase to the United States department of agriculture”
  6. Sponsored protections for Buffalo and Duck river segments.

    Legislation sponsored by Senator Kerry Roberts, 114th General Assembly

    Government record · Tennessee General Assembly · Bills Sponsored: SB1590 · wapp.capitol.tn.gov

    “designates segments of the Buffalo River, Duck River, and certain other rivers and creeks as Class II pastoral river areas”

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; 5 issues covered in this race.