TN 2026 Ballot Guide

Races · Tennessee House of Representatives

Tennessee House, District 6

3 candidates on the ballot · Last verified October 13, 2026 · Official candidate list

Candidates

Party is shown as printed on the official ballot. Candidates are listed in the order of the Secretary of State's certified candidate list.

Compare platforms

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.

IssueTim Hicks
Republican		Brad Batt
Democratic		Rodger Broadwater
Independent
Economy & jobsSponsored a 2025 law requiring the Board of Nursing to let qualifying students enroll in practical nursing programs at Board of Regents colleges.[1]Repeal the 2023 state ban on local wage and benefit rules and provide paid family leave for all workers, not only state employees.[2]No stated position
Taxes & spendingNo stated positionAbolish the state sales tax on groceries and give tax credits to small businesses that pay a living wage.[2] [3]Cap rising property taxes.[4]
Cost of living & housingNo stated positionBan landlords from setting rents with price-fixing software, restore $90 million in cut down-payment assistance for first-time buyers, and fund the Tennessee Housing Trust Fund.[2]Help renters become homeowners through a proposed Paper Trail Credit Act.[4]
EducationVoted in 2026 for the law expanding the state's school voucher program from 25,000 to 35,000 scholarships, both on House passage and on final concurrence; also supported the 2025 voucher law, saying parents should be able to choose the education that best fits their child and that public schools are held harmless on funding.[5] [6] [7]End school vouchers and put the money into public schools; raise teacher pay, fund classroom supplies, provide free school breakfast and lunch, and offer universal pre-K for 4-year-olds.[2]Strengthen public schools.[4]
Health careSponsored a 2026 law prohibiting artificial intelligence systems from being advertised as able to act as a qualified mental health professional.[8]Break up the Ballad Health monopoly, restore the state quality standards that were lowered, and expand Medicaid.[2]Lower health care costs.[4]
Public safety & justiceSponsored a 2026 law narrowing who counts as a violent offender barred from drug treatment courts, removing domestic assault convictions and limiting it to certain felonies within the past 10 years.[9]Remove AI surveillance cameras in Washington County, require a warrant before police search data on private citizens, ban the sale or sharing of personal data, and ban AI surveillance cameras and drones statewide.[2] [10]No stated position
Environment & landNo stated positionNo stated positionProtect clean water and stop the BWXT expansion.[4]
AbortionNo stated positionProtect IVF, birth control, and women's reproductive rights.[2] [3]No stated position
Government & electionsSponsored a 2026 law allowing certain counties to bar cities and regional zoning commissions from exercising zoning authority outside city limits.[11]No stated positionCreate a public platform for residents to vote yes or no on major bills and follow the district majority; keep special interests and lobbyists out of politics.[4]

Tim HicksRepublican · incumbent

Gray

Facts

  • State representative for District 6 since 2021 (elected in 2020), serving in the 112th through 114th General Assemblies.[12] [13]
  • Member of the House Education, Health, and Finance, Ways, and Means committees and the Fiscal Review Committee.[12]
  • Owner of Hicks Construction; two-time Builder of the Year (1990 and 2014) and a life director of the Johnson City Area Home Builders.[12] [13]
  • Served on the Washington County Planning Commission from 2016 to 2020.[12]
  • Graduate of Daniel Boone High School (1981).[12] [13]

Why they're running

No stated reason found (checked October 13, 2026).

Platform

Economy & jobs
Sponsored a 2025 law requiring the Board of Nursing to let qualifying students enroll in practical nursing programs at Board of Regents colleges.[1]
Education
Voted in 2026 for the law expanding the state's school voucher program from 25,000 to 35,000 scholarships, both on House passage and on final concurrence; also supported the 2025 voucher law, saying parents should be able to choose the education that best fits their child and that public schools are held harmless on funding.[5] [6] [7]
Health care
Sponsored a 2026 law prohibiting artificial intelligence systems from being advertised as able to act as a qualified mental health professional.[8]
Public safety & justice
Sponsored a 2026 law narrowing who counts as a violent offender barred from drug treatment courts, removing domestic assault convictions and limiting it to certain felonies within the past 10 years.[9]
Government & elections
Sponsored a 2026 law allowing certain counties to bar cities and regional zoning commissions from exercising zoning authority outside city limits.[11]

Arguments

Arguments for

  • He backed letting parents choose the school that best fits their child's needs while keeping funding for public schools that lose students held harmless.[6] [7]

Arguments against

No published arguments found (checked October 13, 2026).

Brad BattDemocratic

Johnson City · Campaign website

Facts

  • Small business owner who has run an online software company for more than 20 years.[14] [15]
  • Bachelor's degree from Louisiana Tech University (1995) and graduate degree from Regis University (2003).[14]
  • Member of the Tennessee Democratic Party executive committee; this is his fourth run for House District 6, including races against Hicks in 2020 and 2024.[14] [16]

Why they're running

He says too many people in the area are falling behind: unable to afford rent, skipping the doctor over cost, and paying tax on groceries, while teachers buy supplies out of pocket and the government spends on AI surveillance. He says Washington County deserves a representative who works for the people who live there, not for the legislature's supermajority.[3] [15]

Platform

Economy & jobs
Repeal the 2023 state ban on local wage and benefit rules and provide paid family leave for all workers, not only state employees.[2]
Taxes & spending
Abolish the state sales tax on groceries and give tax credits to small businesses that pay a living wage.[2] [3]
Cost of living & housing
Ban landlords from setting rents with price-fixing software, restore $90 million in cut down-payment assistance for first-time buyers, and fund the Tennessee Housing Trust Fund.[2]
Education
End school vouchers and put the money into public schools; raise teacher pay, fund classroom supplies, provide free school breakfast and lunch, and offer universal pre-K for 4-year-olds.[2]
Health care
Break up the Ballad Health monopoly, restore the state quality standards that were lowered, and expand Medicaid.[2]
Public safety & justice
Remove AI surveillance cameras in Washington County, require a warrant before police search data on private citizens, ban the sale or sharing of personal data, and ban AI surveillance cameras and drones statewide.[2] [10]
Abortion
Protect IVF, birth control, and women's reproductive rights.[2] [3]

Arguments

Arguments for

  • He is a local small business owner who has never taken corporate money and would answer to his neighbors rather than to Nashville.[15]
  • Records show police agencies ran over a million searches of Johnson City's AI cameras in one month, 95% from outside Tennessee; he would take the cameras down and require warrants for searches.[2] [10]

Arguments against

No published arguments found (checked October 13, 2026).

Rodger BroadwaterIndependent

Limestone

Facts

  • Lifelong East Tennessee resident; graduated from North Greene High School in 2014.[4]

Why they're running

He says he wants to give power back to the people: he would build a public platform where every District 6 resident can weigh in on major bills before he votes, and he would follow the district's majority position. He says special interests and lobbyists should have no place in politics.[4]

Platform

Taxes & spending
Cap rising property taxes.[4]
Cost of living & housing
Help renters become homeowners through a proposed Paper Trail Credit Act.[4]
Education
Strengthen public schools.[4]
Health care
Lower health care costs.[4]
Environment & land
Protect clean water and stop the BWXT expansion.[4]
Government & elections
Create a public platform for residents to vote yes or no on major bills and follow the district majority; keep special interests and lobbyists out of politics.[4]

Arguments

Arguments for

  • He would let district residents weigh in on major bills through a public platform and vote the way the majority wants, keeping lobbyists and special interests out of the process.[4]

Arguments against

No published arguments found (checked October 13, 2026).

Sources (16)

Listed in numeric order. Numbers match the markers in the text above.

  1. HB0865 bill information (Tennessee General Assembly) — wapp.capitol.tn.gov, accessed October 13, 2026
  2. The Issues (Batt campaign) — bradbatt.com, accessed October 13, 2026
  3. Brad Batt for TN House District 6 (Batt campaign) — bradbatt.com, accessed October 13, 2026
  4. Rodger Broadwater (Ballotpedia, incl. 2026 Candidate Connection survey) — ballotpedia.org, accessed October 13, 2026
  5. HB2532 (2026 education freedom scholarship expansion) bill information and votes (Tennessee General Assembly) — wapp.capitol.tn.gov, accessed October 13, 2026
  6. Local lawmakers at odds regarding vouchers ahead of Tennessee Special Session (WJHL via Yahoo News) — yahoo.com, accessed October 13, 2026
  7. NE TN House delegation splits 4-4 as vouchers pass (WJHL via Yahoo News) — yahoo.com, accessed October 13, 2026
  8. HB1470 bill information (Tennessee General Assembly) — wapp.capitol.tn.gov, accessed October 13, 2026
  9. HB1471 bill information (Tennessee General Assembly) — wapp.capitol.tn.gov, accessed October 13, 2026
  10. Take Down These Cameras (Batt campaign) — takedownthesecameras.com, accessed October 13, 2026
  11. HB1720 bill information (Tennessee General Assembly) — wapp.capitol.tn.gov, accessed October 13, 2026
  12. Representative Tim Hicks (Tennessee General Assembly) — wapp.capitol.tn.gov, accessed October 13, 2026
  13. Tim Hicks (Tennessee) (Ballotpedia) — ballotpedia.org, accessed October 13, 2026
  14. Brad Batt (Ballotpedia) — ballotpedia.org, accessed October 13, 2026
  15. Meet Brad (Batt campaign) — bradbatt.com, accessed October 13, 2026
  16. Tennessee House of Representatives, 6th District voter guide (Tennessee Lookout) — tennesseelookout.com, accessed October 13, 2026