Carnita Atwater is a political candidate running for the Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election. She has publicly announced her candidacy, stating her commitment to standing with and fighting for Tennesseans. Atwater indicates a proven record of dedication to the people of the state, and her campaign materials identify her as a Democratic candidate. While her main vision is mentioned, specific policy details are not elaborated upon in the provided information. Campaign merchandise, including signs, flags, and stickers, is available to support her bid for the governorship.
Where does Carnita Atwater stand on the issues?
Carnita Atwater has a recorded position on 18 issues. Each is Civoren's summary of the campaign's own public material, with the source linked.
Affordable Housing
▲Supports
Campaigns on Tennessee's housing affordability crisis: proposes building 150,000 affordable homes with HUD/THDA assistance, opposes investor-driven displacement and gentrification, and criticizes HUD funds and tax incentives (PILOTs) flowing to wealthy developers instead of low-income families.
“As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will stop the hemorrhage of Tennesseans losing their family homes and being displaced from their traditional neighborhoods by aggressive, rich investors, developers, and greedy politicians signing on to this economic and housing genocide. No one should be forced out of their neighborhoods for being poor.”
Atwater supports the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and opposes discriminatory bans on gender identity, advocating their removal as part of her vision for an inclusive Tennessee.
“I would magically remove the discriminatory bans on gender identities, erase and restore the mean-spirited legislative bills against women's reproductive health care ...”
Supports criminal justice reform: campaigns to dismantle private prison operator CoreCivic, decries the treatment and deaths of incarcerated people, and opposed siting a new jail in the New Chicago neighborhood of Shelby County.
“While running for Governor, I have fought against the inhumane treatment and deaths of incarcerated individuals in 201 Poplar and CoreCivic. ... In 2025, I advocated and protested against a new jail being placed in an underserved and disinvested community known as the New Chicago community.”
Atwater prioritizes rural economic development, seeking to reverse rural economic disinvestment including rural hospital closures, framed as bringing equity to rural Tennesseans.
“Rural Tennessee has suffered from economic disinvestments and the closing of hospitals. I want to be the great equalizer to bring equity to rural citizens.”
Champions a Tennessee Green New Deal ('Grid to Golden Sun') and renewable energy/environmental justice, opposes privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and protested gas turbines at the xAI data center in Memphis over air-pollution concerns in the Boxtown community.
“A total privatization would be a corporate wealth transfer controlled by the greed of billionaires with no moral obligation to Tennesseans' financial hardship and energy burden. (NO PRIVATIZATION OF TVA; also proposes 'TENNESSEE GREEN NEW DEAL - GRID TO GOLDEN SUN')”
Anti-corruption/good-governance platform: proposes forensic audits of all 95 Tennessee counties, participatory budgeting (P.U.B.L.I.C.), and regular citizen performance assessment of the governor.
“All 95 counties in the State of Tennessee must be audited to address the lack of equity across the state, especially in rural and urban communities.”
Supports 'common-sense' gun safety measures: reinstating the federal assault-weapons and large-capacity-magazine ban, federal background checks, handgun waiting periods, and curbing permitless carry, while affirming Second Amendment rights and framing the goal as removing guns from criminals.
“Reinstate the law that banned the manufacture, sale, and importation of certain specific semi-automatic 'assault weapons' (such as the Colt AR-15 and TEC-9) and large-capacity ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds. ... Indeed, it is a person's constitutional right to bear arms, but it is the ultimate oath of office for politicians to protect the citizens of the State of Tennessee.”
Supports Medicaid expansion ('Medicaid for All' / Volunteer 'Orange' Health plan) to close Tennessee's coverage gap of roughly 300,000 uninsured residents, arguing healthcare is a human right and that expansion would help prevent rural hospital closures.
“With the Strategic Planning of the Healthcare Impact Tennessee ORANGE Volunteer Health Committee, I would launch a progressive 'Medicaid for All' Plan to ensure that all Tennesseans have access to quality healthcare. Healthcare should be a human right.”
Advocates a Homeless Bill of Rights and a Homelessness Innovation Transitional Safety (H.I.T.S.) plan, and opposes the criminalization of homelessness.
“no homeless person should be criminalized for being poor (from the Critical Issues - State of Emergency Agenda, which also lists the 'Homeless Bill of Rights' and 'Homelessness Innovation Transitional Safety (H.I.T.S.)' plans)”
Campaigns on ending housing displacement and gentrification; proposes the HOUSE plan and building 150,000 affordable homes with HUD and THDA assistance.
“I will stop the hemorrhage of Tennesseans losing their family homes and being displaced from their traditional neighborhoods by aggressive, rich investors, developers, and greedy politicians signing on to this economic and housing genocide.”
Supports immigrant-family protections and integration (ICE-TEA plan); opposes ICE mistreatment and the separation of Latino immigrant families, and protested the new ICE detention center in Mason, TN.
“While running for Governor, I have fought against ICE mistreatment and the separation of Latino immigrant families. ... I have fought and protested against the new ICE detention center erected in Mason, TN.”
Supports universal pre-K and public education investment, arguing early-childhood programs benefit children most from low-income families; also opposes discriminatory terminations of teachers.
“UNIVERSAL PRE-K ... Children who experience early care and education programs that provide consistent, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate opportunities for cognitive and social development benefit significantly in both the short and long-term, and children from low-income families benefit the most.”
Pro-union platform ('Union Strong - Protect Organized Labor for Tennesseans'); supports unions such as the IBEW and organized labor.
“As a lifelong farmer and conservationist, she champions environmental justice, promotes public education, supports unions like the IBEW, and advances public and community health.”
Supports reproductive rights - 'no woman should be denied accessibility to reproductive rights' - as part of her Critical Issues State of Emergency Agenda.
“no woman should be denied accessibility to reproductive rights, no LGBTQ individual should be afraid to stand up for their rights”
Supports eliminating Tennessee's 4% state grocery sales tax and a broader tax-shift - including a Fair Tax Study Committee examining transition from sales to income tax - to relieve middle-, working- and low-income families, offsetting lost revenue by taxing large corporations and data centers.
“Eliminating this tax reduces the burden on this demographic. ... A comprehensive Tax-Shift approach. A Tax Blueprint to Strengthen Tennessee, thus taking the financial burden off middle-class, working-class, and low-income families. ... Create the Fair Tax Study Committee to hold a series of hearings across the state to examine ways Tennessee can transition from sales tax to income tax.”
Atwater supports term limits for elected officials, arguing that ineffective or disconnected officials should not retain their positions.
“I believe in term limits and if elected officials are ineffective, disconnected to their constituents and no longer consider the 'will of the people', they should no longer hold that position...”
Makes veterans a top priority: supports 100% disabled veteran property tax reimbursement (HB0436/SB0651), a Veteran Lottery, medical cannabis, and a comprehensive "Operation Hope for Veterans" plan.
“As a gubernatorial candidate, I believe that no veteran should be homeless, waiting on medical treatment, or worried about paying their property taxes as a 100% disabled veteran.”
