Keith Nolan

Keith Nolan was born in Brevard, North Carolina. He began serving in the U.S. Air National Guard in 2025. He earned a high school diploma from Red Bank High School. He graduated from Rockport College in 2005 and from Chattanooga State Community College in 2020. His career experience includes working as an entrepreneur, electrician, sound designer, and sound recordist.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

As a resident of Tennessee House District 31, I am proud to call the hills and communities of Bledsoe, Rhea, Sequatchie, and Van Buren counties home. I was raised with the values of hard work and self-reliance that define our region, I have spent my life working alongside neighbors in our farms, small businesses, schools, and churches. I am running for the Tennessee House of Representatives because our district deserves a strong, accessible voice in Nashville. One that will advocate for our rural way of life, lower taxes and living costs for working families, improve educational opportunities, and ensure that government stays out of the way while supporting job growth and infrastructure right here at home. With deep roots in District 31 and a commitment to common-sense solutions over politics as usual, I humbly ask for your support as I seek to serve you in the state legislature.

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?

Economic strength is upstream from nearly every challenge in Tennessee House District 31. Strong jobs, rising wages, and lower costs of living in Bledsoe, Rhea, Sequatchie, and Van Buren counties enable families to afford better housing, healthcare, and education. A thriving local economy funds roads, schools, and services without tax hikes, while reducing poverty-related problems like substance abuse, crime, and out-migration of young people. High taxes and overregulation, by contrast, weaken this foundation and create downstream struggles in schools, healthcare, and infrastructure. By focusing on pro-growth policies that expand opportunity at home, we solve root causes instead of just treating symptoms.Quality education is upstream from nearly every opportunity in Tennessee House District 31. Strong schools equip children in Bledsoe, Rhea, Sequatchie, and Van Buren counties with skills for good jobs, stable families, and thriving communities, while weak outcomes drive poverty, out-migration, and stagnation. Parents know best, so every option must be on the table: supporting effective public schools, expanding micro-schools and career-tech programs, and fully empowering homeschool families with freedom and resources. By choosing parental empowerment, excellence, and workforce readiness over bureaucracy, we build the human capital that lifts our district for generations.In Tennessee House District 31, unaffordable or unavailable healthcare creates downstream problems like medical debt, lost workdays, strained rural hospitals, and poorer community health. Yet the real solution lies upstream: restoring the patient-doctor relationship through freedom and choice. We must protect local hospitals, expand telemedicine, require price transparency, and especially empower Direct Primary Care models that deliver affordable, high-quality care without insurance bureaucracy. By trusting patients and physicians over government mandates, cutting red tape, and expanding options, we lower costs, improve access, and build healthier, more resilient families across Bledsoe, Rhea, Sequatchie, and Van Buren counties.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about the core issues that shape daily life and opportunity in Tennessee House District 31. A strong local economy with good paying jobs, lower taxes, and less regulation builds the foundation for thriving families across Bledsoe, Rhea, Sequatchie, and Van Buren counties. That foundation grows stronger through education freedom supporting excellent public schools, micro schools, career tech programs, and homeschooling, along with healthcare solutions that put patients first via Direct Primary Care, price transparency, and reduced bureaucracy so our families can stay healthy, productive, and rooted right here at home.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Hello, I am a 37-year-old solopreneur electrician who has spent most of his life in TN. I've had a calling to serve this nation since I was a kid but I was never cut out for the military. This is the next highest honor I can do, now or never. I've been involved in politics since 2012 and my family has a history of civil service in TN which further inspired me to become involved growing up. I never thought I would need to step up but we are heading in the wrong direction as a nation. What's worse, powerful institutions seem to be on autopilot with individuals more interested in their careers than their constituents. I hope to help remedy this and work with liberty-minded individuals wherever I can find them.

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?

The constitution is specifically designed to hinder institutional power over every individuals natural rights.The political spectrum isn't just left vs right, its institutional power vs you.The working class is incredibly resilient yet directly effected by the manipulative policies of the Treasury and Federal Reserve. Inflation is yet another tax on wages and is considered a "hidden tax" since the effects arrive years after the bad fiscal policies are rolled out. The working class is the engine of this economy and I think its time institutions stop biting the hands that feed them.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about Economics, The Military Industrial Complex, Individual Liberty, Transportation, and Healthcare.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Ron Paul was called for military service and then to Congress when Nixon "temporarily" suspended gold-to-dollar convertibility. He continued serving in Congress while running two campaigns for President in 2008 and 2012. He inspired a whole generation of young people to look into Austrian Economics and noninterventionist foreign policies. I hope I can continue to keep that legacy alive.

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

The Law by Frederic Bastiat. Nation, State, and Economy by Ludwig von Mises. Enough Already Time to End the War on Terrorism by Scott Horton. Obedience to Authority by Stanley Milgram. Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt. End the Fed by Ron Paul. The Progressive Era by Murray N. Rothbard. Social Democracy by Hans-Hermann Hoppe. Natural Law by Lysander Spooner.

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

Elected officials should be able to separate fact from fiction. Honesty is the best policy; if being honest gets you rejected from the halls of power, so be it. As an elected official your duty is to your constituents first including the ones who didn't vote for you.

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

I'm honest, I'm studious, I question institutional norms, I distrust authority by default, I do not participate in dominance hierarchies, and I don't see cooperation as a weakness.

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

Principles over party. As a representative, you are an employee of your constituents. Political parties are vehicles they shouldn't be the destination. I'm sick of only hearing from my representatives around election time or when they have a photo op for a groundbreaking they voted against. I want opportunities to cooperate or give feedback. This is why I plan to use a modernized website to open up more channels for direct communication with my district.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to leave a legacy of serving TN district 4 as an honest man who did the job to the best of his abilities and left graciously. I do not want to be known as a career politician but rather a statesman.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event I remember was the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995. I was 9 at the time.

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

My first job was cameraman for a local news organization. I stayed there for 2 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein is my favorite book because he is a fantastic science fiction writer. I love the premise and the details he puts into the world he creates.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Bruce Wayne

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Take On Me by A-ha

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Finding rewarding work and staying independent has always been a struggle. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit but the game keeps changing. If it's not a recession in 2007 it's inflation in 2022. I want the political class to stop tinkering with the private sector and let it breathe.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House has the power of the purse. It's also the body most connected to reality since their terms are two years. The exception to this is career congressmen. Congress also has the power to declare war but that power has been evaded many times since World War 2. It has the power to raise and provide public money and oversee its proper expenditure, Impeach and try federal officers, approve presidential appointments, approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch, oversight, and investigations.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be or it can mean they are more beholden to institutional connections instead of their constituents. For the House, I believe it's better if they are fresh from the private sector.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Our position at the top of the unipolar world order is threatened by the same thing every empire in history is threatened by. Over-expansion of our military, debasing of our currency, societal rot, over 35 trillion in debt, and a depleted middle class.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

The best term limiters are the voters. The two parties have cooperated as gatekeepers against third parties for so long many people who are eligible to vote simply see no path to change. I have faith that my generation dares to break out of the cycle of the lesser of two evils voting. It's time to start voting FOR candidates instead of AGAINST other candidates.

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

Ron Paul, Thomas Massie, Tulsi Gabbard,

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

When I talk to folks in my district, the main item of discussion is the cost of healthcare. Getting Cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence but it is a debt sentence. The Affordable Care Act did give many people insurance. However, it's also a handout to major health institutions. There has to be a better way to utilize the market to lower costs without tax and spend policies. I will work with my colleagues to find a market-based solution.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Money doesn't buy happiness, but you've never seen somebody frowning on a Jet-ski.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Good ideas don't require force. I know the difference between principled and stubborn. I will not compromise with stubborn people. I also do not see compromise as a weakness. When you're dealing with people who don't agree with you, sometimes compromise is necessary but not desirable if they can't meet halfway. As an independent, I'll be pressured by both parties so principles will be crucial.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

This is very important to me. There are more creative ways for the federal government to raise revenue without legally plundering the private sector.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

They should be principled, based on law, and not based on partisanship. The GOP and Democrats are dancing on the edge of a slippery slope with lawfare. Each one daring the other to go a little further.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Libertarian Party of Tennessee

What committees interest you?

Small Business, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce,

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

The Government Accountability Office unfortunately is very necessary. The press and the voters are also an effective way to shine light on institutional misdeeds. Unfortunately it seems qualified immunity or executive privilege is used too often at a certain level. Like most things sunlight is a good disinfectant. Accountability is rare.