Lauren Pinkston
Independent | Tennessee
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
Freed-Hardeman University, Henderson, TN, B.A. in Elementary Education, 2005-2009
Clemson University, Clemson, SC, Master's Certificate, -2015
Clemson University, Clemson, SC, PhD, International Family and Community Studies, -2019
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Governor of Tennessee, 2026-2026
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (2)
The Forward Party
The Tennessee Report
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Stefanie Dalton
Felisha Porter
Forward Party
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Maryam Abolfazli (2024)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
OTHER INFORMATION
Lauren Pinkston completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
My faith guides me to value human life, and I, like most Tennesseans, do not want to see abortion used as birth control. As governor, elective abortions would not be paid for with taxpayer dollars, consistent with existing federal law. Furthermore, I plan to support women with more options, including guaranteed contraception, full reproductive healthcare, more childcare options, and eliminating maternity care deserts.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
I support repealing Tennessee's current total ban on abortion and replacing it with common-sense legislation that trusts women to make these decisions with their doctors. In the cases of lethal fetal anomalies, rape, incest, and trafficking, an elective abortion should be allowed.
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Choose not to answer
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Choose not to answer
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Choose not to answer
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I support establishing a minimum wage of $10 in the state of Tennessee.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Did not answer
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
Did not answer
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
Did not answer
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Disagree
Faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations should retain the right to set employment policies consistent with their religious bylaws. These organizations must clearly disclose to job applicants that they do not operate as an equal opportunity employer for the safety of Tennesseans across all sexual orientations. Further, Supreme Court precedent has made clear that businesses and individuals do not have to provide services that would violate their religious convictions.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
Did not answer
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Disagree
Bad actors within the federal or state government could use this list for personal or political reasons. It would also subject the individuals on this list to the fear of their personal medical information being hacked or leaked on the internet.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Agree
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Did not answer
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Did not answer
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
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Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
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VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Did not answer
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Did not answer
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Did not answer
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Did not answer
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Did not answer
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Did not answer
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Did not answer
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Did not answer
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Agree
Climate change is a pressing global issue that requires action. I will work with communities and local utilities to review outdated regulations and remove red tape to enable the development of responsible renewable energy projects. Furthermore, I will explore investments into communities to make them more resilient in the face of more destructive and frequent natural disasters.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
I believe that nuclear energy is the most reliable energy source. Tennessee needs to diversify its energy sector to provide long-term security, including practical transitions towards nuclear power and renewable energy sources.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Moderate
I believe that voters want solutions, not sides. I consider myself to be a moderate candidate because I believe good ideas come from across the political spectrum. Today, too many politicians are focused on ideological fights, when they should be focused on the many unsolved public problems around us. As an Independent candidate, I am committed to serving all Tennesseans, no matter their political affiliation.
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No, I have not. In fact, I have spent much of my recent career helping to employ victims of human trafficking, exploitation, and persecution in Southeast Asia.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No, I have not.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
The goal of the criminal justice system should be to rehabilitate prisoners and prepare them to return to civilian life. I will invest in rehabilitative programs in Tennessee to increase GED graduations, improve cognitive behavioral skills, and expand employment pathways back to civilian life to reduce recidivism rates. Furthermore, I support saving taxpayer dollars by working toward eliminating private prison contracts in the state.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Agree
In Southeast Asia, I helped to start three businesses that employed survivors of trafficking and persecution. I know firsthand the effect that exploitation can have on women and children. Thus, I support protecting our most vulnerable, and believe government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Choose not to answer
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
As the only gubernatorial candidate who has lived in a Communist country, I understand that the 2nd Amendment protects personal liberty and human life. It is nonnegotiable that sporting and self-defense remain protected rights in Tennessee. However, I support secure storage laws to keep children safe and prevent guns from falling into the hands of criminals. Additionally, I support expanding background checks to include private, individual sellers, in addition to federally licensed dealers.
