Each cell paraphrases what the candidate says they will do, from their own campaign materials, questionnaires, or interviews. Rows are shared issue categories; only categories at least one candidate addressed are shown.
Issue
Timothy Hill Republican
Lori Love Democratic
Economy & jobs
No stated position
Advocate for unions and oppose legislation aimed at weakening them.[1]
Education
Sponsored a 2025 law limiting when students may be excused from school to attend released-time religious instruction; also sponsored a 2026 bill, not passed, to let schools choose, rather than be required, to hold back third graders who fall short in reading.[2][3]
Fully fund public schools, support teachers, and let schools operate without censorship or political influence.[1]
Health care
Sponsored a 2026 law allowing more health care providers to directly administer certain buprenorphine products used to treat opioid use disorder.[4]
Improve access to health care in a region facing rural hospital closures and lost trauma care, where one hospital system holds a monopoly.[1]
Infrastructure & energy
Sponsored a 2025 law allowing the state's Hurricane Helene interest payment fund to cover local governments' loan charges.[5]
Treat internet service as a necessary utility that every household should be able to connect to.[1]
Firearms
No stated position
Pass gun safety legislation; she says no one wants to take guns from law-abiding citizens, but doing nothing about gun violence is not an option.[1]
Government & elections
Sponsored a 2025 law requiring training for election officials on temporary IDs issued to non-U.S. citizens, which cannot be used as voter identification; also sponsored a 2026 bill, not passed, to shorten early voting from 15 days to seven.[3][6]
Restore morals, ethics, and accountability in the legislature.[1][7]
Timothy HillRepublican · incumbent
Blountville
Facts
State representative for District 3 since 2023; appointed as interim representative after Rep. Scotty Campbell resigned, then won the 2023 special election.[8][9]
Previously won election to the District 3 seat in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018; ran for U.S. House in Tennessee's 1st District in 2020 and lost the Republican primary.[8]
Vice-chair of the House Insurance Committee and a member of the Health Committee.[10]
Career includes owning a business, working as a radio host and audio/visual director, and serving as press secretary and communications director for Tennessee's 1st Congressional District.[8]
Associate degree from Northeast State Community College and bachelor's degree from East Tennessee State University.[8]
Why they're running
No stated reason found (checked October 13, 2026).
Platform
Education
Sponsored a 2025 law limiting when students may be excused from school to attend released-time religious instruction; also sponsored a 2026 bill, not passed, to let schools choose, rather than be required, to hold back third graders who fall short in reading.[2][3]
Health care
Sponsored a 2026 law allowing more health care providers to directly administer certain buprenorphine products used to treat opioid use disorder.[4]
Infrastructure & energy
Sponsored a 2025 law allowing the state's Hurricane Helene interest payment fund to cover local governments' loan charges.[5]
Government & elections
Sponsored a 2025 law requiring training for election officials on temporary IDs issued to non-U.S. citizens, which cannot be used as voter identification; also sponsored a 2026 bill, not passed, to shorten early voting from 15 days to seven.[3][6]
Arguments
Arguments for
No published arguments found (checked October 13, 2026).
Arguments against
No published arguments found (checked October 13, 2026).
Retired; previously owned a small business, worked in human resources for Fingerhut, and was office manager for the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra.[7][11]
Elected member of the Tennessee Democratic Party executive committee since 2014, representing State Senate District 4.[11]
Treasurer of the Blountville Farmers Market and former treasurer of the Johnson City Farmers Market; an officer of the local Central Labor Council.[1][11]
Ran against Timothy Hill for this seat in the 2023 special election and in 2024.[7][9]
Married to a 22-year Air Force veteran; has lived in Sullivan County for about 30 years.[11]
Why they're running
She says the legislature's supermajority acts as if it answers to no one, keeps passing laws it knows will be challenged as unconstitutional, and has lost sight of serving the people. She says she wants to restore morals, ethics, and accountability to the legislature and bring back government "for the people," meaning all of them.[1][11]
Platform
Economy & jobs
Advocate for unions and oppose legislation aimed at weakening them.[1]
Education
Fully fund public schools, support teachers, and let schools operate without censorship or political influence.[1]
Health care
Improve access to health care in a region facing rural hospital closures and lost trauma care, where one hospital system holds a monopoly.[1]
Infrastructure & energy
Treat internet service as a necessary utility that every household should be able to connect to.[1]
Firearms
Pass gun safety legislation; she says no one wants to take guns from law-abiding citizens, but doing nothing about gun violence is not an option.[1]
Government & elections
Restore morals, ethics, and accountability in the legislature.[1][7]
Arguments
Arguments for
She would push to restore ethics and accountability in the legislature.[1]
As an officer of the local labor council, she would advocate for unions at every opportunity.[1][11]
Arguments against
No published arguments found (checked October 13, 2026).
Sources (11)
Listed in numeric order. Numbers match the markers in the text above.