Anne Backus: Fighting & Winning for HD33

Benefits Anderson County: Lake City, Oliver Springs, Clinton, and Oak Ridge

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? flynnconsult@gmail.com

Friends, Anderson County has a down-to-earth, clear-speaking, youth-supporting, engineer-trained, and community-engaged advocate, who is also a committed mother, grandmother, and volunteer in Anne Backus- and a perfectly positioned candidate to represent HD33.

Anne has been endorsed by: •Change TN • Tennessee Women’s Political Caucus  •TN AFL-CIO •TN Advocates for Planned Parenthood • Future 901 • TN Young Democrats.

She has also received a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Designation.

Anne shares some basic information about herself in Question #1 and outlines her Trajectory before deciding to run for office in Question #2. She then shares the reasons why she is running in Question #3.

In Question #4 Anne addresses her key public policy issues: •abortion and reproductive care protections •affordable healthcare for all • common sense gun safety and responsible gun ownership • public education and no vouchers • equity and equality, particularly related to LGBTQI+ righters

Question #5 focuses on how Anne differentiates herself from her opponent in the District 33 race. Question #6 examines the major concerns of residents in her community. Anne then discusses in Question 7 what she thinks are the biggest challenges facing Tennessee over the next 2-5 years and in Question #8 comments on what most encourages her about District 33 and the State as a whole.

The interview concludes with Anne responding to two Quotes from the article “The Rhetoric and the Reality of the New Southern Strategy” before sharing how folks can Support her campaign including links: - Email: backusfortn33@gmail.com - Twitter: @backusfortn33 - Campaign Web Site: http://backusfortn33.com - Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550950895806

Anne’s election will help to flip Anderson County into the Blue arena, which is so important to stopping the SuperMajority from continuing to test Project 2025 on the people of Tennessee. Let’s do all we can to bring this monopoly of cruelty to an end.

Choose hope!!! Michele Flynn

- -Doubt comes from living in the past.

Hope is praying the future into being. - -

QUESTIONS:

Question 1: When asked to say a few things about herself, Anne said she thinks she has “the skills to be a really good legislature” given her work at Y12 (National Security Complex in Oak Ridge). During her 22-year employment there, Anne created procedures that matched the laws and managed “hundreds of millions” of dollars in budgets yearly, which “translates well into managing a budget for the state.” But Anne’s major promise and reason for running is to bring “the people's voice back to the People's House.”

Question 2: Anne’s trajectory before running for House District 33 began in Florida where she was born, included spending part of her childhood in North Alabama, followed by college at Mississippi State University where she earned a degree in Industrial Engineering, followed by being offered a position at Y12 upon graduation in 1981 and her move to Oak Ridge.

Anne has been active in the community as a “band mom, Girl Scout leader, and CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate),” which she has continued since retiring in 2014. “My CASA work…is my most rewarding work… It has shown me what supports people in Anderson County need in order to be successful.”

Although she never imagined a run for office, after watching the laws passed by the Republic SuperMajority Anne decided, “I need to see what we can do.” She enrolled in the Emerge Tennessee program “which really taught me how to run a campaign that could be successful…We've been working hard ever since then.

“I love Oak Ridge and Anderson County.” It is where Anne raised her three children, all of whom “went through the Oak Ridge school system.” She is a big proponent of public schools, noting, “Anderson County has some of the best schools in the state…We need to support our school systems.”

Anne was also a Sunday school teacher and youth group leader. She is currently Co-Chair of the local PFLAG organization, which helps local youth assemble a Youth Pride event every spring. Anne also tutors math, “My favorite to tutor is algebra…And a lot of times I can even get kids to like it.” Anne is also involved in the NAACP, the League of Women Voters.

Anne explained that PGLAG stands for Parent, Family, Lesbians, and Gays. It “supports LGBTQ people and their families.” The Oak Ridge chapter “is unique in that it is sponsored by five religious organizations: First Methodist, First Presbyterian, the UU (Unitarian Universalist) Church, Chapel on the Hill, and the Jewish Synagogue.”

Question 3: Anne’s volunteer work with children inspired her decision to run for office. “It has shown me the difference that good supports can make for the community.” For instance, “If we expanded Medicaid, then people can get mental health services and they're not using drugs to mask either a mental or a physical problem.” However, '“If you don't have insurance, you can't get treated.”

Anne lets people know, “If I tell you something, that's what I believe… We may not agree on everything, but I'll find something that we can agree on, and we can work out from there.”

Anne is unhappy that Anderson County was not represented by their previous Representative (Republican John Ragan, defeated by Richard Scarbrough in the Primary- more about him below). “When we asked for something, like we don't want vouchers, we were not listened to by our legislator. And I did not like the way the Super Majority was treating people like the Tennessee Three. I can't flip the supermajority, but I can be another voice of reason.”

Question 4: Anne talked about the major Public Policy Issues she plans to address if elected to represent HD33. “I am an anti-voucher person. Public funds need to stay with public schools. I am against charter schools that are privately funded but run by private organizations.”

Anne then addressed her commitment to affordable health care for everybody, including addressing women's reproductive needs. “Women and their doctors and their God and their family need to make those decisions, not legislators in Nashville.”

She next talked about common sense gun safety. “I don't want to take anybody's gun, but I want you to lock it up. And I think we ought to have universal background checks, and… extreme risk risk protection orders so that if somebody is in a mental health crisis, we can remove (the guns) that could endanger them or other people.”

Anne strongly disagrees with arming teachers. “If we have a situation in a school, our teachers need to be watching after the kids…They don't need to be running off after a shooter. Let the SRO take care of that.”

Anne believes in equality and equity for all, “regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, if you're disabled or not, religion- whatever everybody needs to… be successful in life.”

And Anne is a pro-union candidate. While employed at Y12, the union make it possible for Anne to have “wonderful insurance… the union people fought for that.” Because of her dedication to union workers, Anne utilized union printers for all of her campaign materials.

Anne committed, “I will go to bat for them.” She promised to work to overturn the right-to-work law in Tennessee “…which is really a right to fire people…It is not a simple process, but we want to… make progress on that.”

Question 5: Anne’s opponent in the race for HD33 is Richard Scarborough (2,936 votes) who barely beat Incumbent John Ragan (2,705) in the Republican Primary. Anne (2,381 votes) said that while Rick is “a more pleasant person” than the losing Incumbent, his policies are “the same as John Reagan's” and the exact opposite of hers. “They want vouchers, they don't want women to have health care, they don't believe in unions, and they don't want any controls on guns.”

“I think I can talk to almost anybody and figure out what we can agree on, work to expand what we agree on, and serve the people.” Anne is running to bring the voices of Anderson County residents to the Legislature “…to make Anderson County better.”

Question 6: When asked what she is hearing in the community as she canvases and meets people at events, Anne said, “Well, first, they are thrilled that a Democrat is running.” Then they tell her, “Their biggest two issues in Anderson County are vouchers- they are anti-vouchers- and they are mad about it. And the second is women's reproductive rights. They do not like that we have no exceptions, and people are dying.”

Anne is “having a great time talking to people.” People are telling her that while they had not previously voted for a Democrat, “I'm voting this way now.” It has been “really encouraging. We have hit 2,500 canvassing contacts since April, and our goal is 4,000 by the election.”

When guns come up in the conversation Anne tells people, “I don't want to take their guns” although she encourages them to “lock them up.” Anne wants to pass universal background checks and extreme risk protection orders.

Although Anne has cousins who own guns, “I've never shot a gun in my life. Don't mind other people having them…doesn't bother me. But if I have gotten mad enough to go off and buy a gun quickly, somebody ought to be concerned about my mental health, because that is outside of my normal behavior…That's why I think these other (laws) should help. But I don't want to take anybody's guns.”

Question 7: Anne thinks one of the biggest challenges facing Tennessee over the next 2-5 years is EDUCATION, specifically, “Making sure we fully fund our public schools…making sure babies are safe when they're at school. Making sure they have food- Children can't learn if they're hungry, so we need to offer school lunches for children who need them.”

Anne next referenced the Covenant shooting and the recent shooting in Georgia, saying what we need is, “Common sense measures to reduce the impact of GUNS” while reiterating, “Again, don't want to take anybody's guns.”

Anne then talked about the need for AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR EVERYONE. She commented on the large population of uninsured people who would benefit from Medicaid Expansion. During her volunteer time with The Free Clinic, she witnessed working people who didn’t qualify for either Obamacare or TennCare. When they “would come in with a significant health problem” the Free Medical Clinic would work to resolve it.” Among them were “full-time workers” who got hurt, patients with a cancer diagnosis, and surgery candidates. “Having that basic health care is important in Anderson County.”

While Oak Ridge does have a hospital, it is the only one in the area so it serves several surrounding counties. “There used to be some hospitals in a couple of counties, but they're not there anymore.”

Anne believes that the lack of health care coverage is affecting women’s reproductive health. “You have to go out of the state if you need an abortion or a DNC.” In addition, “Doctors are scared that they'll go to jail for that procedure (DNC)” but it is often necessary “so the woman lives and doesn't get sepsis. I think that's important.”

Question 8: In response to the question “What encourages you most about District 33 and the state of TN?,” Anne began by saying “Tennessee is beautiful from one end to the other… I always forget, until we get all this rain… we actually live in a rainforest, and it is beautiful and gorgeous.”

Anne continued, The people in Anderson County are amazing. If there is an issue that people need to come together, they will come together and help other people. I think that's amazing. And I think that's true across the state.”

Anne is encouraged by the “many fabulous candidates we have running... up and down the ballot.” She specifically mentioned Ashley Craven and Tiffany Malone who are running for school board in Oak Ridge. She then talked about the “bunch of amazing young women” running for House seats and her hope that their election will result in “some balance and different perspectives.” Anne’s brother in Washington, DC always says “We come up with better solutions with people from diverse backgrounds.”

QUOTES

(NOTE: The following quotes are from Southern Cultures-Center for the Study of the American South: The Rhetoric and the Reality of the New Southern Strategy. This was a conversation between Courtland Cox (1960s SNCC leader), Nsé Ufot (New Georgia Project), and Charles V. Taylor (NAACP-Mississippi leader), then edited by Emilye Crosby (SNCC Legacy Project).)

QUOTE 1: How can millions of voters beat billions of dollars?

Anne immediately responded, “By talking to each other.” She went on to describe her experience knocking on voters’ doors where she has found a great deal of support for her campaign. When they say, “I've got you, I'll vote for you” she responds, “Now you need to go find five more people to vote for me. And ask them to do the same thing. That is an exponential function that gets really big, really fast, and that's what we've been doing.” So I'm hopeful this race is going to make a difference…I know across the state and the nation, it can make a difference.”

Quote 2: Anne was asked to comment on the “co-governance” model of leadership, one that engages people and the leaders they elect in “small d” democracy in between elections so that the “big D” Democracy remains intact. “I think our government runs based on the input from our people. When I get elected, I plan to have listening dates, one in Oak Ridge, one in Clinton and probably one up in Rocky Top” every 4-6 weeks.”

Anne shared that her daughters are involved in advocacy and she plans to continue her work with young people between sessions. Anne then talked about the Scarborough 85, “the first racially integrated school in the South.” The community of Oak Ridge is planning a monument in their memory. “I want to help bring these voices to the State House…It will be in…Tennessee history books starting in 2027.”

SUPPORT

Anne began by thanking the organizations that have endorsed her campaign: •Change TN • Tennessee Women’s Political Caucus  •TN AFL-CIO •TN Advocates for Planned Parenthood • Future 901 • TN Young Democrats

She has also received a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Designation.

Anne then thanked all the people who already volunteered and donated to her campaign. She then said, “If you live in Anderson County, in District 33, I'm going to ask for your vote now. And if you like me, and you're going to vote for me, find five more people to vote for me.

“And whether you live in Anderson County or not, you can volunteer for my campaign. You can knock doors. You can be the driver for a canvasser. You can be the person who records the data. You can host a house party. We have a job for everybody. ”

Anne noted that because running for office “…is a money game,” even though she thinks “we spend way too much money on elections,” and she advocates for public funding of campaigns, “I have to have some money run”. So she asks people to please donate to her campaign.

You can go to any of these links to find out more about Anne, learn how to volunteer, offer a donation, and learn about other ways to help her get elected.

Email: backusfortn33@gmail.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550950895806

Twitter: @backusfortn33

Campaign Web Site: http://backusfortn33.com

“Everything worthwhile is done with others.” Marianne Koban, Prison Abolitionist