Image Credit: Jeff Burkhart, State Representative – District 75 / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Six applicants hoping to fill the seat vacated by the recent passing of State Representative Jeff Burkhart outlined their priorities and qualifications to the Montgomery County Commission on Monday as the body prepares to vote on a candidate before the start of the 2026 legislative session.
With the unexpected death of Rep. Burkhart (R-Clarksville-District 75), state law dictates the county commission must select an interim replacement to fill the position until the term expires in 2026. To qualify for consideration, an individual must be at least 21 years old, a U.S. citizen, a Tennessee citizen of at least 3 years, and a resident within and qualified voter of District 75 for at least 1 year.
After an open application process, six candidates were deemed qualified and given the opportunity to address the commission during their informal meeting Monday evening, speaking in the order their applications were received and laying out their top focuses should they be appointed:
1) Allie Phillips: Ran as the Democrat candidate against Burkhart in the 2024 election, securing just over 45% of the vote in the race. Phillips drew national attention in 2023 when she shared her story of traveling to New York to terminate her pregnancy after being told her 19-week-old baby would be “incompatible with life” and being unable to obtain an abortion in Tennessee.
Now, Phillips says her priorities in the General Assembly would be public education (she spoke against the school voucher program), higher-paying jobs, affordable housing, expanded childcare access, infrastructure projects (like expanding I-24), and veteran services (including a “better resourced” VA clinic and stronger mental health services).
2) Michael Lankford: Republican Montgomery County Commissioner since 2022. He spoke of Burkhart as a mentor and wants to continue work on what Burkhart begun. Lankford emphasized his background assisting businesses, farms, and families with financial planning.
“If appointed, I will work diligently to advance the priorities of Montgomery County, strengthen coordination between local and state leaders, and ensure that the interests of our citizens- public safety, infrastructure, education, agriculture, and responsible growth- are effectively represented at the state level,” read his letter of interest.
3) Adolph Dagan: Originally from Togo, Africa, Dagan is Fort Campbell veteran and owns a local African market. He ran as a Republican in the District 7 Special Primary Election to replace Congressman Mark Green. He was not responsive to survey requests or candidate communications from The Tennessee Conservative during the race.
Dagan highlighted the “diversity” of District 75, saying he is committed to “representing everybody, no matter your political party, your religion, your language, and so on.” His priorities would include promoting economic opportunity for families and small businesses, supporting veterans and military communities, strengthening education and workforce development, public safety, and encouraging responsible and accountable government.
4) Kent Griffy: Small business owner and Republican Clarksville Montgomery County Schools Board Member for 18 cumulative years, most recently appointed as an at-large member of the Tennessee School Board Association. Griffy also served 14 years as commissioner and 12 years as the president of the Woodlawn Utility District.
Griffy ran against Burkhart in the Republican primary for District 75 in 2022 and emphasized his decades of holding local public offices. “It is my public service that prepared me most for this moment,” he said.
5) Kevin McPherson: A former police sergeant who moved to Montgomery County a little more than three years ago after three decades in California law enforcement. He cited a decline in quality of life in the county since his arrival, noting he can “no longer gloat” about affordability, roadway cleanliness, or manageable traffic.
His main focuses would be on legislation that would improve quality of life, specifically traffic, safety, homelessness, and blight, increase and improve first responder resources, and find alternate funding sources for local infrastructure projects. He also stressed the importance of constituents having access to their representative, even announcing plans to wear a shirt reading, “I’m your state rep. Please tell me your concerns”.
6) Nathan Burkholder: Republican Montgomery County Commissioner Since 2022. He runs an appliance repair and commercial laundry service business which he said equipped him to understand the economic realities of the district and county. If appointed, Burkholder said he would continue to support the Montgomery County Commission’s legislative agenda, which includes infrastructure projects like widening I-24 and several other public policy points dealing with real estate transfer taxes and property tax relief programs.
He highlighted the importance of funding technical training and Early Technical College programs, a priority he said was shared by both Burkhart and Gov. Bill Lee, and his insight on local legislative issues provided by his tenure on several commission committees including EMS, School Liaison, Highway Liaison, and the Municipal Solid Waste Regional Board.
The commission will vote on the interim representative at their next formal meeting, scheduled for Monday, Dec. 8. Whichever candidate receives the most votes will complete Burkhart’s term.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
