State Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Ridge, is running for reelection to represent Tennessee House District 30.
Helton-Haynes, 62, grew up in East Ridge and attended East Ridge High School. She went to the Chattanooga School of Practice Nursing right after high school and has been a nurse for 45 years, primarily working in dialysis.
Helton-Haynes has been on the East Ridge City Council since she was elected in 2016, and is not running for reelection in November. In 2018, she was elected to the Tennessee House and has held her seat since. Most recently, Helton-Haynes chaired the insurance subcommittee.
(READ MORE: Read about more local candidates on the Nov. 5 ballot at timesfreepress.com/vote-2024)
She has three children. Lee Helton, her eldest, is a Hamilton County commissioner. Helton-Haynes is married to Hamilton County Assessor of Property Marty Haynes.
In 2023, Helton-Haynes carried a bill to amend the Human Life Protection Act to protect physicians from being criminally charged for performing an abortion to save the mother’s life or terminating an ectopic or molar pregnancy. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed the amendment into law in April 2023.
Helton-Haynes will face Democrat Heather McClendon as voters cast ballots in the general election on Nov. 5. Early voting in Tennessee begins Oct. 16. For more information, visit elect.hamiltontn.gov.
OFFICE DETAILS
Duties: Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, serve on committees, vote on legislation and perform constituent services.
Area represented: Apison, Brainerd, Brainerd Hills, Dalewood, East Brainerd, East Lake, East Ridge, Eastside, Glenwood, Hurricane Creek, Missionary Ridge, Ooltewah, Ridgeside, Silverdale
Population: 75,000
Staff: Each representative has one staffer, two if the representative is a committee chair
Member salary: $28,000
Health benefits: Yes
Start date: Jan. 14
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury
POLICY Q&A
The Chattanooga Times Free Press asked all state legislative candidates for their stances on abortion, guns and education legislation. Helton-Haynes said the same three issues are the main issues in her district. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: Where do you stand on abortion? Are you satisfied with the current legislation in Tennessee regarding women’s reproductive rights, or would you look to make any more changes?
A: I do plan to carry another bill this year to try to amend it to add the fatal fetal anomalies as an exception, because our physicians are very concerned about that condition. It’s one that 65% of the babies that have a fatal fetal anomaly die in utero, and the other 35% die shortly after birth. A lot of times they’re stillborn, so that’s something that the Tennessee Medical Association and the physicians are concerned about. They feel like that language needs to be added. It would have to be really carefully drafted.
I’m pro-life, but being pro-life is more than being anti-abortion. I’m anti-elective abortions. I think that we need to also look at the rape and incest part of this issue. I don’t know if it will be addressed this year. I don’t know that the support is there. I feel that we need to talk about it. Will I carry anything? I don’t have any plans currently to carry any legislation, but I think that we do need to have that discussion.
Q: Where do you stand on school vouchers? Do you agree with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s recent push to make education spending accounts available statewide?
A: First of all, I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all for education, but in principle, I do believe in school choice. As far as the legislation itself, I do not serve on education so I never actually took a deep dive into that bill because it never came before me in any form. But yes, in principle, I support it.
(READ MORE: State grant will help fund East Brainerd playground for children of all abilities)
CAMPAIGN MONEY
Beginning balance: $119,600
Raised in 2024: $27,000
Spent in 2024: $40,000
Source: Tennessee Online Campaign Finance
Q: Where do you stand on gun legislation? What changes if any would you make to Tennessee’s gun laws?
A: By definition, criminals don’t obey law. I’m very pro-Second Amendment for law-abiding citizens. I just feel like most of the laws that would be passed would infringe on their rights. Law-abiding citizens obtain their firearms legally and tend to be responsible with their firearms, so we need to figure out a way to keep guns out of criminals’ hands, out of those that are mentally ill, but as far as sponsoring any legislation or anything like that, it’s really not in my wheelhouse and not something that I would normally carry.
Contact Sarah Dolgin at sdolgin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6556.