Your questions, their answers Election 2026

The Main Street Journal – Sparta has been listening to the community. Over the past several weeks, readers have submitted questions they want answered ahead of the 2026 election—and we’ve taken those directly to your County Commission candidates.

Here is your tweflth question, and answers from those candidates who chose to respond.

Politicians are frequently criticized in a very public way.

If you are the subject of public criticism, please share with us how you would respond? 

BRYAN COLE: So far, I've not had to face it yet. I would like to think I could brush it off my back. With the help of Jesus Christ, I can. I know I'm not going to make everyone happy, but I hope I can make the majority happy and minimize the criticism.

ANDY DAVIS: If you step into public service, you have to expect that there will be criticism. That’s part of the job.

If someone has a concern or criticism, the first thing I would do is listen. Sometimes people just want to know they’ve been heard. If the criticism is fair, then you take it seriously and see what can be done to improve.

If it’s a disagreement about a decision, I think it’s important to calmly explain why the decision was made and the reasoning behind it. People may not always agree, but they deserve a clear and honest answer.

I also believe it’s important not to take things personally or get into arguments. My focus would stay on doing what’s best for the county and representing the people in my district the best I can.

At the end of the day, accountability comes with the job, and I’m willing to stand behind the decisions I make.

ERICK DILDINE: My mom always said I was oily like a duck , because I would always let everything roll right off of me. Public criticism is part of serving in a role like this, and I understand that going in. When you step up to lead, people are going to have opinions, and not all of them will be positive.

My first step would always be to listen. Not all criticism is bad sometimes it comes from people who genuinely care about the community and want to be heard. If there’s something I can learn from it or do better, I’m willing to take that seriously and make adjustments.

At the same time, I believe in staying respectful and not responding out of emotion. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment, especially on social media, lord knows I’m sure I have in the past but I think it’s important to handle those situations with a level head and professionalism.

If something needs to be addressed publicly, I will be honest, transparent, and clear. People deserve straight answers, not runaround or silence. And if I make a mistake, I’ll own it. Accountability matters.

At the end of the day, my focus will stay on serving the people of White County, not getting distracted by every criticism that comes my way. I’ll stay grounded, keep working, and let my actions speak for themselves.

JAVIER ORTIZ: Criticism comes with the job. I’ll handle it by:

•    Listening first  

•    Responding respectfully and honestly

•    Staying focused on doing what’s right, not what’s popular

I’m not afraid of tough conversations—that’s part of leadership.

WILL RANDOLPH: The meetings should be held with the proper decorum and motivated leadership that ensures all needs are met to the best of the body’s ability. Ego and emotion have no place in leadership, and the business of government requires exceptional dedication to that discipline.

I am accustomed to public criticism. In my day to day, I encounter people that hate me simply because of my chosen profession, people are murdered daily simply because they chose the same profession as I did, and the same rules apply. As Public Servants we serve all people, even the ones that disagree with us, lie to us, spit on us. You can never take it personally it is the business of government and it is always a government that is intended to serve the people. The business of Government is the business of people, even disagreeable ones.

The Main Street Journal - Sparta's 2026 Election Coverage is brought to you by Tennessee Credit.