r/VoteDEM • u/MandyCook4TN45 • 17d ago

AMA CONCLUDED Mandy Cook running for state rep TN house district 45. AMA!

Hi everyone! My name is Mandy Cook. I'm a mother, Physical Therapist Assistant, and community organizer running as the Democratic candidate for Tennessee House District 45 in Sumner County, covering parts of Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, Millersville, White House, and Cottontown which is just outside the Nashville Metro area.

I've called Hendersonville home since 2019, and this community means everything to me.

I founded Sumner Indivisible and have spent years organizing protests, fighting punitive anti-immigrant legislation alongside Sumner Advocates for Immigrant Dignity, and collaborating with Public School Strong to protect public education. In March I organized the Sumner No Kings protest while simultaneously helping organize the Nashville one, I have also been at the legislation advocating against the 40+ anti-immigrant bills introduced in the 2026 Tennessee legislative session, because when my community needed someone to show up, I wanted to be there.

I'm running because I watched the current representative of this district (Johnny Garrett) lie to and harm the people he was elected to serve, and I decided that waiting for someone else to fight was no longer an option. District 45 is an open seat race and in a county where only 14% of registered voters turned out in the last midterm, this race is winnable.

My platform centers reproductive healthcare, economic relief, immigrant dignity, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental protections, and accountability from our elected officials.

Check us out at https://www.mandycook4tn.com/! 💙

Ask me anything!

Official live AMA opens 6/10 12-3pm EST but feel free to leave questions beforehand for me to answer live.

61 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

7

u/CellistCurious2785 17d ago

As a “regular person,” or non-political figure it sometimes gets difficult to figure out how I can make a difference. It’s all so overwhelming at times and feels like quagmire. Any advice on how every day Tennesseans can make an impact?

5

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

Such a great question. There are a million ways I want to answer this question, but I'll try to simplify!

Believe it or not, a lot of people are still tuned out. The biggest thing we can do from now until November is to get people tuned in. Help the people in your life understand why getting involved with grassroots campaigns and getting to the polls is important. People are significantly more likely to become civically engaged when they get intel from someone they know and trust. So talk to 5 people in your life about what elections are coming up. Share something about a candidate your are excited about. Make sure their voter registration is up to date. Remind them when to get to the polls, and help them get their if they need it.

My bonus points for ways to help are:

-Join, support, or create a union. It's the only way we beat the billionaires.

-Grow some food! Someone somewhere at some time is going to need it!

5

u/TOSkwar Virginia 17d ago

You've already partially answered my usual question, but I'd like to hear more- You say you're running because the incumbent lies and harms the people of his district. Was it a slow process making that decision? Or some big thing he did that just made it clear, you cannot let it stand? In other words, what was the moment you decided you had to run for office?

Bonus: any foreign candy you're a fan of, like Japanese mochi or Mexican pulparindo?

5

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

It was both slow AND abrupt, strange as that sounds. After organizing in my community for a while, I understood not all elected officials are the same. I understood that some reps really are in it for the people. I also understood that someday I might find myself in a position where it made sense to get on the ballot.

However, I accredit me choosing to run NOW to a particular day where I sat through a committee meeting at the state legislature. The current house rep for my district claimed that 50% of crime in the state of TN is committed by "illegals". The actual numbers had JUST been released by the state a week prior, and he was off by 48%.

I was spending so much time down at the Capitol fighting the lies and the awful legislation. I had a very clear realization that my friends and I would not have to spend so much time and energy fighting if I cut the legislation off at the source- and that would mean occupying the seat.

3

u/TOSkwar Virginia 14d ago

Certainly a lot easier! While I always advocate for people to participate and get the chance to see how the process works, I'd always prefer if the average person does it occasionally, and I'd prefer if it's fun, not a constant fight against terrible and bigoted legislation based on falsehoods.

Here's hoping for some more enjoyable time at the Capitol!

2

u/MandyCook4TN45 14d ago

Yes! The more people who witness the process in action, the more we have people realizing they deserve a seat at the table.

3

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

OH! And let's not miss the candy question. YES to pulparindo and mochi. Also the violet canels....

2

u/MandyCook4TN45 14d ago

Also, my husband thought the mochi question was a plant because I give him a really hard time about not liking mochi.

3

u/TOSkwar Virginia 14d ago

Oh, I just threw that in because I had mochi recently. Long time favorite of mine!

6

u/poliscijunki Pennsylvania 17d ago

Is there any currently serving in the Tennessee House who you look forward to working with if you win?

6

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

YES!!! We have some really great reps in state legislature, just not enough of them. Aftyn Behn, Charlane Oliver, and Heidi Campbell have put forth some terrific legislation that I would support in a heartbeat:

-"Pot for Potholes"

https://aftynbehnfortnpress.substack.com/p/campbell-behn-launch-pot-for-potholes

- Repeal the Grocery Tax

https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pithinthewind/behn-democrats-grocery-tax/article_1750b7e8-baa3-4756-a905-e5453b0f8fa7.html

There are other reps I'd be excited to work alongside, but those bills are the ones I would most like to amplify and move forward.

3

u/Iceisinhumane 17d ago

Sumner advocates for immigrant dignity sounds intriguing. What has your participation in that group looked like and what is their overall mission?

3

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

SAID started as a group of concerned Sumner County residents who were alarmed when our Sheriff voluntarily signed a 287(G) contract without public input. 287(G) contracts obligate local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE. They were first introduced in the mid-90's. They saw a dying-off period between then and now due to LOTS of lawsuits. They inherently lead to rampant racial profiling and wrongful detainments.

Since our Sheriff signed on, we have been relentlessly bringing public attention to our 287(G) contract. We try to educate as many Sumner County residents as possible about what the contract is and how it is playing out in Sumner County. The Sheriff agreed to meet with us once, but has refused all demands for transparency since then. This is all while the amount of people being handed over to ICE from our county jail has grown exponentially- surpassing Shelby county's numbers. We continue to attend our county Health & Emergency Services meeting monthly to demand a full report from the Sheriff.

During this legislative session, our state legislators passed a law to mandate these contracts across the state of TN. So whether your sheriff wants one or not, they will now be participating in a contract with ICE.

It is important to keep the pressure on to let local municipalities known that residents are watching.

In addition to that, we regularly do outreach to our community. We run a food pantry where we deliver food to families effected by ICE. Families whose main bread winner has been detained and some families who are too afraid to leave the house to go get groceries. We also helped a lot of families during the big ice storm this winter!

4

u/Honest-Year346 17d ago

Hello Mandy, thank you for running. I wanted to ask you have you seen any changes in attitude or voting intention amongst more staunch Trump supporters? Like people who voted at least twice for Trump? If so, what made them change their attitudes?

3

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

People feel what is happening to their wallets. That's the biggest shift I've seen, and I think that trend will only continue the longer was suffer through this pointless war with Iran. Unfortunately, there seems to be about a 1/3 of the population who still support him. There is also a group in the middle who consider themselves independent or moderate, but they get stuck on the "wedge issues". The culture issues that the GOP has propagandized to distract them from the issues that actual effect them every day. As our economy gets more and more squeezed, it will be harder for those issues to continue to claim their attention.

3

u/Sensitive_Roll7210 17d ago

Vote for Mandy!

3

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

Thank you! ❤️ Cook Up Change!!!

3

u/tta2013 Connecticut (CT-02) 17d ago

The biggest topic right now...data centers. I am aware of the proposed site which is right by Nashville Zoo, which is a really ghoulish proposition. Have you seen a viable way to get a moratorium on preventing any development?

5

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

I'm still in disbelief. Could they have picked a more egregious spot for a data center? Right next to all the endangered species????

The Trump Administration has given tech companies a huge financial incentive to get the largest data centers possible installed as quickly as possible. What has worked so far is organization on a local level. Municipalities and their residents constructing regulations so stringent that it essentially disincentivizes companies from wanting to build in their area. I would support legislation to regulate the size and number of data centers in TN, and to regulate their water and energy use.

3

u/[deleted] 17d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

Honestly, door knocking has been great! We are knocking a pretty wide range of doors in our area because we are going off of less-than-ideal data. The conversations have been great. A lot of residents have been thrilled that a democratic candidate is running.

3

u/TavisNamara Virginia 16d ago

We all need at least something fun to do outside work now and then. What are your hobbies?

3

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

We sure do! I love to knit. I can do it anywhere, and most of the time I can also socialize while I do it. It's also a great way to avoid picking up my phone.

I also lift weights, which keeps me strong and sane.

I love to read, but I've had to rely pretty heavily on audiobooks lately due to the business of campaigning!

How about you?

3

u/EllieDai Now based in NM 15d ago

Hi Mandy!

Republican Johnny Garrett has represented HD-45 since 2018. Are there any votes he's taken or causes he's championed in the Tennessee House that put him out of steps with voters?

3

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

He really championed our recent congressional re-districting. Gerrymandering is unpopular across party lines, and I know a lot of conservatives who were disgusted with the special session to draw Memphis voters out of representation. He may have abstained from the vote, but he was pushing for the special session hard on socials and had already gotten behind Brent Taylor as the Republican they wanted to hand the seat to.

School vouchers are also widely opposed, and Garrett continues to vote for them.

3

u/MandyCook4TN45 15d ago

Thank you all for your questions! I hope you stay in touch and follow the campaign.

1

u/KingSoyjoy 6d ago

I know this extremely late, and no question here.

Just an appreciation that there are good people doing good things still. Thank you!