I grew up like many other West Tennesseans. Mom and Dad sat at the kitchen table with my sister and me every night for supper. They taught us to work hard and took us to church every Sunday morning. My family had to balance their checkbook and work for what they owned. They instilled in me what I call Tennessee Values, and they have shaped me into the person I am today.
I am a pro-life Christian who believes in Christ as our Lord and Savior. My wife Tiffany and I attend First Baptist Church in Jackson, where I serve as a deacon. We love our church, and we especially love teaching Sunday School to the young adults there.
I am a gun owner and a hunter who believes in protecting our culture and heritage. Some of my favorite memories growing up are from listening to beagles chase a rabbit through the fields of West Tennessee.
I am the son of a small businessman, and I believe in supporting these vital pillars of our communities. My dad still owns the family business, Finney’s Floor and Home Center, in Dresden. Small businesses like his put food on the table for many of us in West Tennessee, and I want to make sure they can continue to do so for future generations.
I am also the son of a teacher, and I believe that our children should receive the best education they can from qualified and well-trained teachers. I know first-hand the impact that teachers have, because my mother taught elementary school students in Dresden for 31 years. She and many other wonderful people have dedicated their lives to education, and I believe we need to do all we can to support our teachers and students.
I am the grandson of military veterans, and I believe in honoring our troops. My family has a proud military history, as both of my grandfathers served in the military during World War II. My mother’s father, Bill Mangum, was a Captain in the Army Air Corps and flew B-29 bombers during World War II in Germany, Italy and Northern Africa. After four years of dedicated service to his country, he was honorably discharged and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Army Air Medal, among other honors. My father’s father, Richard Finney, served in the Army at Pearl Harbor after the devastating attacks there, and later as a police officer on the Navy shipyard. He and my grandmother began their family there before returning to West Tennessee.
I have watched many great men and women depart for service in some of the most dangerous places in the world. I have seen them off as they have left their families behind, and I have welcomed them home as they ran into their loved ones’ arms. Their commitment and sacrifice is unmatched, and I believe that our support for them should reflect our appreciation of their service.
In 2007, I co-sponsored legislation – The Helping Heroes Act – to provide scholarship opportunities to veterans as well as a measure this year to give Tennessee veterans assistance in applying for civil service jobs, so that they can provide for their families upon returning home. I have fought to extend unemployment benefits to military spouses when they are forced to leave jobs and transfer. Earlier this year, I was honored by the 194th Engineer Brigade of the Tennessee Army National Guard for my commitment to the troops in West Tennessee.
State Sen. Lowe Finney with Brig. Gen. Robert A. Harris of the 194th Engineer Brigade
I’m committed to fighting for your values — our Tennessee Values — that are focused on improving our quality of life while protecting our way of life. Thank you for trusting me to continue the fight.