Garfield Scott

Garfield Scott was born in Clarksville, Tennessee. His career experience includes working as a truck driver and in construction. He has been affiliated with Elk's Lodge and Teamsters.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Garfield Scott is a third generation Clarksville native, born and raised in the St. Bethlehem area. He has lived in District 68 all of his life.

He is a married father of two grown children with one young grandchild. Prior to his almost forty year career as a professional truck driver, Garfield was a farmer on the family farm. He is a longtime member of St Bethlehem church.

Being one of ten children and a product of the Clarksville public school system, Garfield has learned the value of compassion and the ability to get along with friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Infrastructure: as a truck driver, Garfield has seen great roads. Tennessee roads are no longer something to be proud of. Problems are patched in the short term, but long-term solutions are lacking. There is a need for a new vision and cooperation between state and local authorities.Public education: we need to maintain funding for our public schools, including paying teachers and other employees a livable wage. We must be vigilant in defending against private school voucher programs that will drain resources from already stretched school systems.

We must also protect our teachers from attacks by far-right conservatives who seek to undermine authority and alienate teachers.Corporate accountability: we must hold corporations accountable for taxpayer money and incentives given to them by local, state, and federal governments. Garfield will work to ensure companies adhere to the terms agreed to. If communities put infrastructure in place to accommodate promised industry relocations, he will make certain taxpayers are not left on the hook for broken promises.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Gun safety, transportation, reproductive health, racial equality, Medicare

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Peach Seed by J. Wesley Gold

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, approachability, honesty, empathy

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Garfield learned the values of hard work and dedication from his family. He can look a person in the eye and shake their hand. He knows how to cultivate bonds between people from all walks of life from his time driving a truck. He will listen to all of his constituents and represent the people of Clarksville in the Nashville legislature when he is elected.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Being able to communicate effectively and reach agreements with political opponents in order to work in the best interests of all constituents.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Garfield would like to be remembered as a decent and honest human being. His word is his bond and he loves people for who they are. He would like to leave the legislature as a more diverse place to represent the true makeup of Tennessee and America.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Garfield was a farmer, helping on the family farm from a very young age. Together they raised cattle, tobacco, soy bean, corn and various vegetable. The family was able to be self-sufficient. He worked on the farm until the age of 22, when the farm was put out of business by shady price fixing on the part of local landowners.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Cordiality is vital to an effective working relationship between the governor and state legislature.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Population growth and making sure that our infrastructure, schools and hospitals can keep up, or ideally, stay ahead of the needs

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Actual lived experiences can be more beneficial than legislative experience when it comes to empathizing with real problems. Legislators who have held office for decades are out of touch with issues such as infrastructure that impact average people.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Building relationships is the only way to progress on problems like infrastructure, healthcare, or gun safety. Reaching across the aisle is necessary to find solutions that work for everyone. Communication is key.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

John Lewis

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

US Senator

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

The legislature should be concerned with legislation. The governor would have emergency powers.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

A bill to address the gaps in communication between state and local institutions. This legislation would seek to facilitate and coordinate road repairs and construction on interstate and local roads. We need to cut through the red tape on planned infrastructure projects in order to expedite the time frames.

What committees interest you?

Education, transportation

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

It is extremely important for government institutions to be transparent in all areas and to be accountable to the public.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

Yes, Tennessee would benefit greatly from a ballot initiative process. This would enable citizens to be part of the legislative process and would restore power to the citizenry that is currently being usurped by the Republican supermajority.