Editor’s note: The Tennessean Editorial Board invited candidates for the 2024 congressional elections to fill out our questionnaire. They include biographical information and answers to 11 questions on variety of topics from key policy issues to their recommendation for visitors on what to see or do in their congressional districts.
Election Guide: Learn about candidates running in Aug. 1 Tennessee primary election for U.S. Congress
Key dates:
- July 2: Voter registration deadline
- July 12-27: Early voting
- July 25: Deadline to request absentee ballot
- Aug. 1: Primary election
- Nov. 5: General election
Biographical Information
- Name: Mark E. Green, MD
- Which office are you seeking? U.S. House District 7. Running unopposed in the Republican primary election.
- Age at the time of election: 59
- What city/town in Tennessee do you live in?Clarksville
- Education: United States Military Academy at West Point, B.S., Business – Quantitative Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, M.D., Medicine University of Southern California, MC, Systems Management
- Job history: United State Representative, 2018 – Current; Tennessee State Senator, 2012 – 2018; Founder, President and CEO, Align MD, 2010 – 2017; Chief of Staff – Elect, Gateway Medical Center, 2008 – 2009; Chief, Department of Emergency Medicine, Gateway Medical Center, 2004 – 2007; Chief, Department of Emergency Medicine, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, 2004 – 2006; Special Operations Flight Surgeon, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), 2002 -2004; Resident and Chief Resident, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Residency Program Emergency Medicine, 1999 – 2002; Medical Student, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, 1995 – 1999; US Army Recruiting Company Commander, Dayton, OH Army Recruiting Command, 1993 – 1995; Combat Arms Assignment Officer, 18th Airborne Corps, 1993 Airborne Rifle Company Commander, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army, 1991 – 1993; Battalion Supply, Budget and Logistics Officer, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army, 1991; Battalion Human Resource Director, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 194th Separate Armor Brigade, 1989 – 1990; Scout Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 194th Separate Armor Brigade, 1988 – 1989; Mechanized Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 194th Separate Armor Brigade, 1987 – 1988.
- Family: Wife Camie and two adult children
11 questions for the candidates
Why are you running for this office?
America is at a crossroads. We are being presented with two paths: one of freedom and one of centralized government. This election, Americans get to choose whether to elect candidates that uphold the principles of liberty for all, or candidates who want to implement radical socialist policies with centralized control in Washington, D.C. I am not willing to stand by and watch the radical left’s assault on oil and gas, assault on workers and the economic engines of our country, assault on farmers, the destruction of our military, and the abandonment of our allies like Israel. I am running to protect the rights of Tennesseans to live their lives without interference from Washington, by standing for the rights of states, local governments, and individuals. I have dedicated much of my time in Congress fighting for our veterans, families, educators, small business owners, farmers, teachers, and workers. I will continue to do so in the 119th Congress should the people of TN-07 choose me to represent them in Congress.
What makes you qualified to hold this office and better qualified than your opponent(s)?
My breadth of experience is one of my greatest strengths. I’ve served in the U.S. Military as an infantry officer and a medical doctor, deployed to combat with special operations, run military and civilian medical facilities, started and led a successful national business right from Clarksville, Tennessee, as well as a medical not-for-profit. I served in the Tennessee Senate and understand state and local government. And, I have served in the US House of Representatives for six years, earning a gavel as a committee chairman, which I will retain in the next Congress should I be re-elected. That position places a Tennessean in the leadership circles to insert Tennessee values into Washington. But most importantly, I believe in the American people and not big government. I will vote to cut spending, secure our border, strengthen our military, and defend our veterans and small businesses.
If you are elected (or re-elected), what are your top 2 to 3 priorities for your new (or next) term in office?
If I am re-elected, my top priorities for the next term will be securing our Southwest border, addressing rural healthcare, and fixing our economy.
- Securing our Southwest border is critical to ensuring the safety and security of our nation. As a combat veteran and Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I understand that the border crisis poses a significant threat to our national security and public safety, and I have fought to secure our homeland. Since FY21, Customs and Border Protection has apprehended over 9.6 million individuals attempting to enter our country illegally — including more than 48,000 criminals, 2,000 gang members, and over 350 individuals whose names appear on the terrorist watchlist. I will pass again next Congress the same bill (HR-2) the Democrat Senate Leadership has ignored: to secure our border and protect the lives of Americans from Fentanyl and Crime. I will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen border security measures, support our law enforcement agencies, and combat the surge of human smuggling and narcotics trafficking at our country’s borders. I will continue advancing cybersecurity measures that also protect the U.S. Cyber Border.
- Second, my legislation on protecting rural hospitals has been cited by the American Hospital Association as an excellent effort to address the economic models effecting rural healthcare. I will use my experience as a doctor and healthcare business innovator to advance this cause.
- Third, I am deeply concerned about out-of-control inflation. Over the past four years, we’ve seen how the current administration has drastically increased government spending (Inflation Reduction Act and the Green New Deal part of the Infrastructure bills, and many more). From student loan “forgiveness” to Green New Deal policies, this administration is acting like a teenager with their first credit card. This has caused inflation to skyrocket. From the gas pump to the grocery store, everyone has felt the strain of our weakened economy. Tennesseans are now paying an extra $995 per month for the same goods and services compared to when President Biden took office in January 2021. This is a huge issue confronting every Tennessean, and I will continue to fight to put an end to the federal government’s reckless spending.
What are you hearing most from voters about what they want you to accomplish, if elected?
Tennesseans have two major concerns that seem to swap places from time to time as their number one issue. Tennesseans want to be able to raise a family with today’s skyrocketing costs. Yet, under this president, inflation has skyrocketed. Under the Biden Administration, grocery prices have risen an astronomical 25.8%. The cause is reckless democrat spending and the assault on the oil and gas industry driving up the price of energy. We must win the House, Senate, and the White House and get back the economy of the last administration.
Are you satisfied with the direction of the country? Explain why.
President Biden and his party are moving our country in the wrong direction. The economy is struggling. Dangerous narcotics and illegal immigrants are flooding through our Southwest Border. Through our spending habits and self-imposed restraints on domestic production, our country has become dependent on other nations — friends and foes — for our basic needs and prosperity. We abandoned American citizens in Afghanistan and refused to supply weapons needed by our ally Israel after a despicable attack by Hamas. The friendly overtures to Iran have backfired. Now, there is war in the Middle East, war in Europe, and a threatening China in Asia. We must stop the Biden/Liberal Democrat foreign policy. However, we have the potential to turn things around. This election year, we can make the right decisions, electing leaders who will prioritize our national security, ensure our economic stability, secure our nation’s borders, and restore our country’s reputation on the world stage. It’s also crucial that no matter the outcome of this election, both sides can work together across party lines to find solutions that benefit all Americans and ensure a prosperous future for our nation.
What is your assessment of the performance of the President Joe Biden over the last four years?
President Biden has utterly failed to provide strong leadership and effectively respond to global and domestic challenges. While Tennesseans have been suffering under the weight of extreme inflation, he has responded by increasing government spending, further hurting the American people and our economy. On the international stage, President Biden has demonstrated weakness in his response to the Chinese Communist Party’s aggression, his botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, and his inability to stand firmly with Israel. In almost every regard, President Biden’s performance has been just the opposite of what was needed. We need a new President, we need new leadership in the US Senate, and we need to grow our majority in the US House.
How should the U.S. approach foreign policy goals as it pertains to regions, nations and conflicts such as China, Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war?
When it comes to Communist China, we need to stand firm against their rising aggression against U.S. allies and partners in the region — and their ultimate goal to supplant the United States and the rules-based international order. We must confront head-on their unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft, cyber-attacks, and attempts to brazenly shape the next generation’s minds through misinformation. We must strengthen our alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific to ensure a free and open region. Should China supplant the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific and control both the trade routes — and microchips — the cost of living for every American would skyrocket. We must do everything we can now to prevent that.
We must work closely with our NATO allies to maintain a strong and unified front against any threats to European stability. President Biden has destroyed the balance of power and peace in the Middle East created through President Trump and Secretary Pompeo’s Abraham Accords. Israel’s security is America’s security. In the case of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the U.S. must unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks.
President Trump’s great legacy in the region is the Abraham Accords–and we must work diligently with friends in the region like Saudi Arabia to achieve normalization between Israel and the Arab states. Ensuring Iran never attains nuclear weapons and containing terrorism in the Middle East is critical to the national security interests of the United States.
Americans in recent polling say immigration is one of the top issues, if not the most important issue, facing the U.S. What should Congress do to address the immigration and border security?
As chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I passed through the US House a bill to secure our border and correct many of the issues in our immigration system. The Democrats in the U.S. Senate threw it in the garbage. Despite this, I have continued to hold the Administration accountable, leading the impeachment of Secretary (Alejandro) Mayorkas and advancing other bills to secure both our Soutwest Border and our Cyber Border. We must first secure the border against cartel crime and terrorists. Implementing the principles of HR-2 will do just that. Once the border is secure, we can rewrite the nation’s immigration policies and give the system the resources to meet the worker shortages in our country — legally.
What else do you want voters to know about you that will help them make an informed decision on Election Day?
I am deeply committed to freedom and will fight tirelessly to ensure Americans retain their God-given rights — including the fundamental right to self-defense, as well as the rights to free speech and worship. As a firm believer in service over self, it is my duty to unwaveringly defend these essential liberties for every American in Congress, like I did when I served as soldier for 24 years, as I served in the Tennessee State Senate for six, and as I have in the US House for six.
A “fun” question: When visitors ask you, “What should I do in Tennessee or your specific community?” what are the top 2 or 3 things or places you recommend?
If you want the best breakfast in TN-07, check out Moss’s Southern Cooking in Clarksville! Since my first race for State Senate, I’ve made it a campaign tradition to start every Election Day with my campaign supporters there for breakfast. Right in the heart of the 7th Congressional District sits The Ryman Auditorium, also known as “the Mother Church of Country Music,” “the birthplace of bluegrass,” and the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. This has been the birthplace of many musicians’ careers. My family has always enjoyed attending concerts at the Ryman. Its rich history reminds us of how great it is to be a Tennessean.
Will you commit to being civil in how you present yourself and the way you interact with opponents and others? (Our definition of civility is being a good, active, honest and respectable citizen)
Yes
Call Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or find him on X at @davidplazas.
