Neal Kerney announces candidacy for State Representative

Published 2:02 pm Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Conservative Neal Kerney has entered the open seat contest for State Representative in House District 3. Kerney is seeking the position currently held by Representative Timothy Hill who is not seeking re-election. Kerney is running as a Republican for the seat that includes all of Johnson County and parts of Carter and Sullivan counties.

Kerney serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Tennessee National Guard. Last year, he was deployed stateside where he had the honor of serving as Battalion Commander of the largest unit in the 101st Airborne Division. He supervised 1500 personnel, including 11 companies.

Lieutenant Colonel Kerney was activated and mobilized stateside in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007-08 where he earned the Meritorious Service Medal.

Lieutenant Colonel Kerney was the Detachment Commander over the National Guard Armory in Johnson County 1995-98. He was the Company Commander over the National Guard Armory in Carter County 2005-07. Kerney is a graduate of the Advanced Operations and War Fighter Course from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

“These are serious times for our state and our country,” Kerney remarked. “I believe my

leadership skills honed through 25 years as a Reserve Army Officer and my experience owning and operating a small business uniquely qualify me to serve our communities. I’m running for State Representative to provide conservative leadership in serious times,” stated Kerney.

“One thing we have all learned during the coronavirus pandemic is that we cannot outsource everything to China. It’s time we brought manufacturing jobs back to Upper East Tennessee,” Kerney said. “Manufacturing our own pharmaceuticals in the USA isn’t simply about cost. It’s a matter of national security. As an experienced military officer, I understand this. As a State Representative, I’ll work to bring these critical jobs back to Tennessee,” remarked Kerney.

Kerney is an active member of Colonial Heights Baptist Church and a member of Gideon’s International. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee where he was a varsity football player under legendary coaches Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer.

Kerney’s wife, Sandra Butler Kerney, is a native of Mountain City. She is the Choral Director at Ross-N-Robinson Middle School in Kingsport. The Kerneys split their time between homes in Kingsport and Mountain City. Please visit NealKerney.com for more information on his campaign.