On the Ballot: Rueben Dockery for Tennessee House District 53

Rueben Dockery is an independent, GoodParty.org Certified candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 53. 

District 53 is located southeast of downtown Nashville. It includes the neighborhoods of Radnor and Tusculum, as well as parts of Wrencoe and Oglesby.

On November 5, 2024, Dockery will compete against Democratic incumbent Jason Powell and Republican candidate Yog Nepal in the general election. Powell has represented Tennessee’s 53rd district since 2012, when he won a narrow victory over a Republican opponent.

Dockery shared why he is passionate about serving the Nashville community with GoodParty.org.

“For years, I have been an advocate for civic engagement and proactive solutions,” Dockery said. “All my professional experiences inform my political interest in running for public office.”

Dockery has been a resident of Nashville and Davidson County for 37 years. During that time, he has served as a special education teacher in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School System, as the executive director of a non-profit, as a radio and TV show host, and as a local pastor. He is also the owner of The Dockery Agency, LLC, an independent insurance agency.

During his time in Davidson County, Dockery has also run for office at both the local and state levels. These previous campaigns have allowed him to connect with thousands of voters on key issues.

Dockery shared that his top policy priorities include:

• Improving academic opportunities for public school students

• Encouraging economic development for marginalized communities

• Finding proactive solutions for issues related to public safety and mental health

“I represent [voters’] opportunity to experience three things in 2024: a change in representation in the General Assembly, a proactive choice beyond the two-party system’s platforms, and a response to the call-to-action at the polls for a transformative non-partisan movement in Tennessee,” Dockery said.

As an independent, Dockery said he prefers to cast his vote based on practical ideals, not along party lines.

“I take issue with the way the two-party system in our country cheats constituents of the opportunity to benefit from real democracy,” he said.

Want to learn more about Dockery’s campaign for the Tennessee House of Representatives? Visit his campaign website to find more information and learn how you can get involved.

You can also learn more about the free tools and support that GoodParty.org offers independent candidates like Dockery here.

Photo by Barbara Burgess on Unsplash