JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — News Channel 11 interviewed Republican candidates for mayor of Sullivan, Washington and Carter counties, asking nine important questions related to leading a local government. The questions are below followed by video answers from each candidate who participated.

All candidates were asked the same questions in the same order, with the exception of the final question, which was worded slightly differently depending on whether a candidate was an incumbent or a challenger. Questions were not provided in advance and did not relate to specific events or issues in an individual county.

Participating candidates included:

  • Three Carter County candidates — Mayor Patty Woodby and challengers Danny Ward, a school board member and former county commissioner, and Mike Ensor, a high school principal.
  • Washington County Commissioner Robbie Tester, who is challenging first-term Mayor Joe Grandy.
  • Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable, who is seeking a third consecutive term.

News Channel 11 made repeated attempts to arrange interviews with Grandy and with Angie Stanley, a Sullivan County commissioner who is challenging Venable, but neither of those candidates made themselves available.

What are the two most important things a county mayor does in their day-to-day job to make the county as successful as possible?

Danny Ward

Mike Ensor

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

Patty Woodby

What is your county’s most important asset that the mayor can realistically help to leverage and how would you go about leveraging it to the maximum effectiveness for the next four years?

Mike Ensor

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

Patty Woodby

Danny Ward

What is your county’s most concerning vulnerability that the mayor can realistically help address and improve and how would you go about doing that for the next four years?

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

Patty Woodby

Danny Ward

Mike Ensor

Briefly describe your philosophy when it comes to local government revenue and spending and how those tie in with a community’s prosperity and quality of life.

Patty Woodby

Danny Ward

Mike Ensor

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

What is it about you as a person that makes you a good choice for a position this important to your community?

Patty Woodby

Danny Ward

Mike Ensor

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

How would you approach developing a productive relationship with the county commission?

Danny Ward

Mike Ensor

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

Patty Woodby

What is your opinion on greater regionalism in economic development, including the possibility of some consolidation of those efforts?

Mike Ensor

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

Patty Woodby

Danny Ward

What is an accomplishment you’d like to have achieved four years from now that will mean a better life for the people in your community?

Richard Venable

Robbie Tester

Patty Woodby

Danny Ward

Mike Ensor

FOR CHALLENGERS: The incumbent is seeking re-election. Why are you a better choice?

Robbie Tester

Danny Ward

Mike Ensor

FOR INCUMBENTS: What in your governing record would you point to as key reasons you deserve to stay in office?

Patty Woodby

Richard Venable