Michaela Barnett is running for Congress in Tennessee’s 2nd District as a scientist, small business owner, and former congressional staffer focused on rebuilding trust in government and fighting for working families in East Tennessee. After working in the office of Congressman Paul Tonko during a science policy fellowship, Michaela saw firsthand how federal decisions impact everyday people, especially around healthcare, housing, immigration, and economic inequality. Her campaign centers on the belief that government should work for ordinary people instead of wealthy donors and corporate interests.
Michaela’s platform focuses heavily on government reform and economic fairness. She supports banning congressional stock trading, overturning Citizens United, establishing term limits, and restricting corporate influence in elections. She also advocates for raising wages, protecting unions, investing in workforce development, and bringing manufacturing and infrastructure investments back to East Tennessee.
Healthcare is one of Michaela’s biggest priorities. She supports expanding affordable healthcare access through a universal public option, lowering prescription drug costs, protecting rural hospitals, expanding telehealth, and addressing Tennessee’s physician shortage. She also advocates for reproductive freedom, paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and rebuilding maternal healthcare infrastructure in a state with one of the nation’s highest maternal mortality rates.
Michaela also focuses heavily on infrastructure, education, housing affordability, and environmental protection. Her platform includes expanding affordable housing programs, investing in roads, broadband, clean water systems, and public transit, while protecting East Tennessee’s mountains and waterways from corporate pollution. She also supports investments in STEM education, trade schools, and public schools while opposing policies that strip resources away from public education.
On immigration, Michaela supports border security alongside humane reform, including modernizing the immigration system, creating pathways to citizenship, and holding federal agencies accountable. She also advocates for LGBTQIA+ protections, veterans services, responsible AI regulations, and stronger oversight of large tech companies and data centers.
In this interview, Michaela discusses her transition from scientist and entrepreneur to congressional candidate, how her experience working inside Congress shaped her campaign, and how Tennessee families are being affected by federal policies. She also outlines her top priorities if elected, discusses protecting voting rights and fighting gerrymandering, answers a political “would you rather” question, and shares her favorite hidden gem in Tennessee.
📍 Topics include
• Why Michaela Barnett is running for Congress in Tennessee’s 2nd District
• Working inside Congress during the Trump administration
• Government reform and banning congressional stock trading
• Affordable healthcare and protecting rural hospitals
• Reproductive rights and maternal healthcare
• Housing affordability and infrastructure investment
• Immigration reform and border security
• Environmental protection and clean energy jobs
• Public education and workforce development
• Voting rights and fighting gerrymandering
• Michaela’s top priorities when entering office
• Message to voters frustrated with politics
• Dream VP pick living or dead
• Political “would you rather” scenario
• Favorite hidden gem in Tennessee
🎵 Full interview available now on Spotify and YouTube📲 Stay connected with Michaela & support her campaign 🌐 Website & campaign info | michaelafortennessee.com 📸 Instagram I @michaelabfortennessee🎵TikTok | @michaelafortennesseeFollow along with our Podcast and interviews by hitting that follow/subscribe button and giving our videos a listen and a like!
