Keith Nolan

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Keith Nolan

Independent

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Red Bank High School

Other

Chattanooga State Community College, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

Brevard, N.C.

Religion

Deist

Profession

Electrician

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Keith Nolan (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Tennessee's 4th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Nolan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Keith Nolan was born in Brevard, North Carolina. He earned a high school diploma from Red Bank High School, education from Chattanooga State Community College in 2020, and education from Rockport College in 2005. His career experience includes working as an electrician, sound designer, and sound recordist.

Elections

2024

See also: Tennessee's 4th Congressional District election, 2024

Tennessee's 4th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 1 Republican primary)

Tennessee's 4th Congressional District election, 2024 (August 1 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Tennessee District 4

Incumbent Scott DesJarlais defeated Victoria Broderick, Keith Nolan, and Earnest Ensley in the general election for U.S. House Tennessee District 4 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott DesJarlais (R)	70.0	219,133
		Victoria Broderick (D)	26.8	83,832
		Keith Nolan (Independent)	1.8	5,601
		Earnest Ensley (Independent)	1.5	4,689

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 313,255
= 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.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Kathleen Cosgrove (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 4

Victoria Broderick advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 4 on August 1, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Victoria Broderick	100.0	11,708

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,708
= 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 U.S. House Tennessee District 4

Incumbent Scott DesJarlais defeated Thomas Davis and Joshua James in the Republican primary for U.S. House Tennessee District 4 on August 1, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott DesJarlais	72.5	30,425
		Thomas Davis	19.0	7,988
		Joshua James	8.4	3,535

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 41,948
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Joe Doctora (R)
• Rickey Minton (R)
• Olson Parker (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Nolan in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Keith Nolan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Nolan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Hello, I am a 37-year-old solopreneur electrician who has spent most of his life in TN. I've had a calling to serve this nation since I was a kid but I was never cut out for the military. This is the next highest honor I can do, now or never. I've been involved in politics since 2012 and my family has a history of civil service in TN which further inspired me to become involved growing up. I never thought I would need to step up but we are heading in the wrong direction as a nation. What's worse, powerful institutions seem to be on autopilot with individuals more interested in their careers than their constituents. I hope to help remedy this and work with liberty-minded individuals wherever I can find them.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• The constitution is specifically designed to hinder institutional power over every individuals natural rights.
• The political spectrum isn't just left vs right, its institutional power vs you.
• The working class is incredibly resilient yet directly effected by the manipulative policies of the Treasury and Federal Reserve. Inflation is yet another tax on wages and is considered a "hidden tax" since the effects arrive years after the bad fiscal policies are rolled out. The working class is the engine of this economy and I think its time institutions stop biting the hands that feed them.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about Economics, The Military Industrial Complex, Individual Liberty, Transportation, and Healthcare.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Ron Paul was called for military service and then to Congress when Nixon "temporarily" suspended gold-to-dollar convertibility. He continued serving in Congress while running two campaigns for President in 2008 and 2012. He inspired a whole generation of young people to look into Austrian Economics and noninterventionist foreign policies. I hope I can continue to keep that legacy alive.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Law by Frederic Bastiat. Nation, State, and Economy by Ludwig von Mises. Enough Already Time to End the War on Terrorism by Scott Horton. Obedience to Authority by Stanley Milgram. Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt. End the Fed by Ron Paul. The Progressive Era by Murray N. Rothbard. Social Democracy by Hans-Hermann Hoppe. Natural Law by Lysander Spooner.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials should be able to separate fact from fiction. Honesty is the best policy; if being honest gets you rejected from the halls of power, so be it. As an elected official your duty is to your constituents first including the ones who didn't vote for you.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I'm honest, I'm studious, I question institutional norms, I distrust authority by default, I do not participate in dominance hierarchies, and I don't see cooperation as a weakness.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Principles over party. As a representative, you are an employee of your constituents. Political parties are vehicles they shouldn't be the destination. I'm sick of only hearing from my representatives around election time or when they have a photo op for a groundbreaking they voted against. I want opportunities to cooperate or give feedback. This is why I plan to use a modernized website to open up more channels for direct communication with my district.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to leave a legacy of serving TN district 4 as an honest man who did the job to the best of his abilities and left graciously. I do not want to be known as a career politician but rather a statesman.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event I remember was the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995. I was 9 at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was cameraman for a local news organization. I stayed there for 2 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein is my favorite book because he is a fantastic science fiction writer. I love the premise and the details he puts into the world he creates.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Bruce Wayne

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Take On Me by A-ha

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Finding rewarding work and staying independent has always been a struggle. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit but the game keeps changing. If it's not a recession in 2007 it's inflation in 2022. I want the political class to stop tinkering with the private sector and let it breathe.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House has the power of the purse. It's also the body most connected to reality since their terms are two years. The exception to this is career congressmen. Congress also has the power to declare war but that power has been evaded many times since World War 2. It has the power to raise and provide public money and oversee its proper expenditure, Impeach and try federal officers, approve presidential appointments, approve treaties negotiated by the executive branch, oversight, and investigations.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be or it can mean they are more beholden to institutional connections instead of their constituents. For the House, I believe it's better if they are fresh from the private sector.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Our position at the top of the unipolar world order is threatened by the same thing every empire in history is threatened by. Over-expansion of our military, debasing of our currency, societal rot, over 35 trillion in debt, and a depleted middle class.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

The best term limiters are the voters. The two parties have cooperated as gatekeepers against third parties for so long many people who are eligible to vote simply see no path to change. I have faith that my generation dares to break out of the cycle of the lesser of two evils voting. It's time to start voting FOR candidates instead of AGAINST other candidates.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Ron Paul, Thomas Massie, Tulsi Gabbard,

Both sitting representatives 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?

When I talk to folks in my district, the main item of discussion is the cost of healthcare. Getting Cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence but it is a debt sentence. The Affordable Care Act did give many people insurance. However, it's also a handout to major health institutions. There has to be a better way to utilize the market to lower costs without tax and spend policies. I will work with my colleagues to find a market-based solution.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Money doesn't buy happiness, but you've never seen somebody frowning on a Jet-ski.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Good ideas don't require force. I know the difference between principled and stubborn. I will not compromise with stubborn people. I also do not see compromise as a weakness. When you're dealing with people who don't agree with you, sometimes compromise is necessary but not desirable if they can't meet halfway. As an independent, I'll be pressured by both parties so principles will be crucial.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

This is very important to me. There are more creative ways for the federal government to raise revenue without legally plundering the private sector.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

They should be principled, based on law, and not based on partisanship. The GOP and Democrats are dancing on the edge of a slippery slope with lawfare. Each one daring the other to go a little further.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Libertarian Party of Tennessee

What committees interest you?

Small Business, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce,

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

The Government Accountability Office unfortunately is very necessary. The press and the voters are also an effective way to shine light on institutional misdeeds. Unfortunately it seems qualified immunity or executive privilege is used too often at a certain level. Like most things sunlight is a good disinfectant. Accountability is rare.

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.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Keith Nolan campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Tennessee District 4	Lost general	$0	N/A**
Grand total			$0	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

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Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

U.S. House Tennessee District 4

Website

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Footnotes

[show]

Tennessee's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Marsha Blackburn (R)

Bill Hagerty (R)

Representatives

District 1

Diana Harshbarger (R)

District 2

Tim Burchett (R)

District 3

Charles Fleischmann (R)

District 4

Scott DesJarlais (R)

District 5

Andy Ogles (R)

District 6

John Rose (R)

District 7

Vacant

District 8

David Kustoff (R)

District 9

Steve Cohen (D)

Republican Party (9)

Democratic Party (1)

Vacancies (1)