Susan Sneed
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Susan Sneed (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Tennessee House of Representatives to represent District 20. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Elections
2020
See also: Tennessee House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Incumbent Robert Ramsey defeated Susan Sneed in the general election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robert Ramsey (R) | 72.9 | 23,650 |
| Susan Sneed (D) | 27.1 | 8,806 | |
| Total votes: 32,456 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Susan Sneed advanced from the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20 on August 6, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Susan Sneed | 100.0 | 2,118 |
| Total votes: 2,118 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Incumbent Robert Ramsey defeated Bryan Richey in the Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20 on August 6, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Ramsey | 68.2 | 4,879 |
 | Bryan Richey | 31.8 | 2,275 | |
| Total votes: 7,154 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
Incumbent Robert Ramsey defeated Susan Sneed in the general election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20 on November 6, 2018.
General election
General election for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Ramsey (R) | 70.5 | 16,133 |
| Susan Sneed (D) | 29.5 | 6,751 | |
| Total votes: 22,884 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Susan Sneed advanced from the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20 on August 2, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Susan Sneed | 100.0 | 2,004 |
| Total votes: 2,004 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Incumbent Robert Ramsey advanced from the Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20 on August 2, 2018.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives District 20
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Ramsey | 100.0 | 7,207 |
| Total votes: 7,207 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Susan Sneed did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Susan Sneed completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sneed's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Wage stagnation; lack of access to quality, affordable healthcare; underfunded public schools. It is crucial, in order to support healthy citizens and a healthy economy here in Tennessee, that we ensure every student receives a quality education, every worker is given the opportunity for a good-paying job, and nobody worries about their ability to afford health care for themselves and their families.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am running because our legislators have dodged crucial conversations about affordable healthcare for four full years now with tragic results. TN continues to have poor health outcomes while our tax dollars go to other states to support their citizens and their healthcare infrastructure. Here people continue uninsured because they can't afford it, have health catastrophes which lead to bankruptcy and now our rural hospitals are closing - all because our legislators wouldn't even bring the issue to a vote on the floor. This important issue has been killed in committee and scheduled out of existence - its never been brought to a vote. I'm running to ensure we have open conversations in groups, on doorsteps and at public events.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
I would like to follow the example of people like Jesus and his disciples, Martin Luther King Jr. and Susan B. Anthony.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter from A Birmingham Jail, as well as his I Have A Dream Speech certainly inspire me and shape my political convictions. I also appreciate the writings of Dietrict Bonhoeffer.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Elected officials must be available to and in touch with their constituents and the concerns of their district as well as well versed on the complexity of issues.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I'm an infinitely curious person. I like to employ my curiosity in problem-solving.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
The core responsibilities of a representative are understanding the issues facing their district and state, listening to the concerns of their constituents, and being willing to cooperate and coordinate with other legislators for the good of their common constituencies.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I would like to make sure that the Tennessee General Assembly accepts Medicaid Expansion and then goes beyond, cooperating to tackle the health issues that face District 20 and our entire state.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
Growing up I remember hearing about the assassination of President Kennedy as well as the Cuban Missal Crisis. My own significant political memories begin with the presidency of Ronald Reagan and my grandfather explaining the philosophy of deterrence to me. Even at a young age I felt keenly that more weapons was not the answer.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
My very first job was as a baby sitter at the first private gym in my hometown of Kingsport, TN. I held that job through the winter until they found a full time baby sitter. After that I worked at Pizza Hut and Chick-fil-A while in high school and had the privilege of working at Tennessee Eastman for two summers when I was in college.
What happened on your most awkward date?
Naturally my most awkward date was a blind date. I was in college and ended up on a date with a guy from the most notorious fraternity on campus. Worst of all he was a friend of a friend who I kind of liked!
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
I love the more obscure holy day of Epiphany. The word epiphany itself is something I seek - illumination, seeing an inspiring bigger picture. Epiphany is the celebration of the the magi finding the Christ Child the heart of this encounter being that the start that leads them is the revelation (ephiphany) of God's presence to the Gentiles - to the rest of the world. Epiphany is the revelation that we are all children of God, all connected together and to the divine.
What is your favorite book? Why?
I have too many favorites to just list one book. I love novels by William Gibson - especially Pattern Recognition and that series. I treasure all the Harry Potter novels and grew up reading everything I could find by Madeline L'Engle.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
I would like to be Meg in the Madeline L'Engle stories. She is brave and willing to face challenges she believes to be beyond her.
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
My husband! He's been around a long time and inspires me to be my best everyday. I also love my cat and all my books.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Recently the song "Maybe It's Time," by Jason Isbell, from Bradley Cooper's reboot of "A Star is Born" is very meaningful. Also the song "Shallow" from that movie is an earworm!
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
I have experienced physical challenges with chronic pain and struggled to manage that pain through exercise and therapy without opioids. I appreciate the benefits of functional medicine.
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
Unfortunately there are too few differences between the two chambers in TN right now. Despite their differing roles both houses are both controlled by a single party - TN suffers from a super-majority and doesn't need or accept the input of the minority party to lead TN. In the best of circumstances the tenure of State Senators' leads to a degree of stability and the preservation of some institutional knowledge while the the shorter terms of House members compel them to be in constant touch with those they represent (their electorate!) and in touch with emerging issues in the community.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
I think it depends upon the type of experience that a candidate has more than if it is in politics. As like so many things one cannot get experience in something without at first being a beginner.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Addressing health care in all aspects, from childhood obesity to preventative medicine, the opioid crisis, and affordable healthcare, TN must face these challenges - after that we can more easily tackle issues of student and worker productivity and quality of life in general.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
The role of the governor, as the executive branch, is be a liaison with parties outside of the state for the purposes of relationship building, research and understanding different models of programs for the state. The legislature focuses more narrowly within the state and receives input from the governor and constituents.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
It it not only beneficial but absolutely necessary to build relationships with other legislators within one's own party and within the other party. We can only get to good solutions by having tough conversations with each other and trust built in relationships is the foundation of those conversations.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
In the case of a state with a supermajority like TN; redistricting processes should become more balanced and complex. In any case Advisory or Backup Committees and commissions should have input. Citizen concerns and perspectives should be a part of the redistricting process.
If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?
If elected to the legislature I would be interested in serving on the State Government Committee, the Health Committee and the Finance Committees as these represent my concerns and also are committees with broad influence.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
I think we are in a new era where women are moving into leadership and will create new models and coalitions. I draw from a number of models of leadership but feel it will be necessary to find my own mentors and hone my own skills.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
I am not certain about my interest in running for a different office in the future. My focus is on this race, right now.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
A heard a particularly impactful story regarding the difficulty of securing quality affordable healthcare while canvassing. I spoke with a family who owned a business that calibrated imaging machines at hospitals, because TN did not accept Expanded Medicaid, this was a sole-owner small business could not make enough income to afford health care insurance for their family.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
