The newest Hamilton County mayoral candidate is the youngest in the race and the only Democrat.
Matt Adams, 25, has joined the campaign and so far has no rival in the May 3 Democratic primary. He has not yet returned his qualifying petitions.
"I think that it's important to provide a real choice in the matter," Adams said during a Wednesday sit-down interview when asked about running as a Democrat in a deep-red county. "And I also think that there are several issues that aren't being discussed by other candidates."
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His age also allows him to bring forth fresh ideas, he added.
If he qualifies for the primary election and subsequently is able to oust the chosen Republican candidate in the August general election, Adams said his priorities include infrastructure and public safety.
As for infrastructure, Adams said his focus would largely be on the need to more effectively allocate funds to public schools, noting that many schools in the county are in poor shape and in need of repair.
"That is inherently a disservice to our students, and by consequence, the future of this county," he said.
Adams also said the sheriff's office needs to better integrate itself within the community, something that also applies to county politicians in general.
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"If the only time you see your commissioner or your county mayor is every few years when they're running for re-election, then you have this sense that they're not working for you," he said.
Not only do county officials need to be more visible, he said, but they must also seek to diversify their appointments to boards and commissions.
In what has been an issue largely voiced among the Chattanooga City Council, Adams said the county itself has to better vet its candidate pool for qualified minorities and also improve outreach to get them to apply for high-level positions.
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Adams, a contracted paralegal, moved to Chattanooga's Riverfront neighborhood last year after leaving active duty in the U.S. Army, into which he enlisted in when he was 17. He still is in the Army reserves.
While he has some experience studying at Chattanooga State Community College, he has mostly focused on his work in the community, he said.
In high school, he was vice chair of the parks and recreation committee in Calhoun, in McMinn County, where he was born.
Growing up on a farm, he said he has a unique perspective from the work ethic that has influenced how he has lived his life.
Candidates in the primary election must file their qualifying petitions by Feb. 17.
Contact Logan Hullinger at lhullinger@timesfreepress.com or 814-319-5158. Follow him on Twitter @LoganHullinger.