A Better Alternative

Mark Harmon has been a teacher for most of his adult life, and his enthusiasm for helping the next generation is what motivates him. He wants to create opportunities for working families—as a way of giving back to those who opened doors for him. 

About Mark

Mark and his wife Becky live in the North Hills neighborhood of Knoxville.  He served our area as an elected Knox County Commissioner from 2006 to 2010.   

Some 22 years ago Mark Harmon moved to Knoxville to take a journalism and broadcasting professor job at the University of Tennessee.  He’s still working there, earning two national awards for his teaching and three national honors for his column writing.   

Mark has been doing public service since his earliest days in our community.  From 1999 to 2003 he volunteered his time to coach a speech and debate team at Knoxville College, sometimes driving them (and the UT team) in a van to tournaments as far away as Alabama and Ohio. He also was a mentor in the McNair Scholars Program. 

We Need a New Congressman

Tim Burchett went to Congress four years ago, and many people hoped he would act independently and rely on reason.  Instead, he went to the swamp and became just another swamp creature. 

Those of us who are fortunate enough to serve must be humble about our roles.  This is not Tim Burchett’s seat; it is the public’s seat.  Tennessee’s U.S. House District 2 does not belong to any person or party.  The voters reserve the right to change public servants, and we must respect their choices. 

Burchett has failed us on that score.  He joined a Texas lawsuit trying to tell four states how to conduct their elections.  His was such a poor argument that it was rejected unanimously by the U.S. Supreme Court.   

Burchett also voted to give the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrectionist mob exactly the truth-denying vote they wanted.  Then he twice voted against commissions or committees to investigate the violence done to our Capitol and the police officers who protected it. 

Burchett also has many other bad votes.  This website has an entire section on that subject. He also rakes in the corrupting corporate money that pollutes our politics. 

We need a better congressman—someone who stands up to bullies, mobs, and the powerful; someone who doesn’t give them what they want.  Mark Harmon is a great choice for that job.  You can read more about his positive approach to public service on the “About Mark” and “Issues” sections of this website.