Bill Haslam

“When people talk about conservative government, that's it in a nutshell. We're using taxpayers' money like we would use our own. We're holding in the reins during good times so we're prepared during bad times.”

“Although Senate Bill 1556 has received attention for its perceived focus, my job is to look at the actual substance of the legislation.”

“Men and women motivated by faith have every right and obligation to bring their belief and commitment to the public debate. However, that is very different from the governmental establishment of religion that our founders warned against and our constitution prohibits.”

“Governors sometimes have a hard time jumping up on a table and yelling the loudest because they've actually been there. They realize it's difficult to govern in a split environment.”

“I join a lot of others who say, as someone who is a first time candidate, you have to realize that words matter, and the things you say have a lot broader impact, and I join those who are thinking that we hope that now that Trump is the Republican nominee there's a shift toward a more thoughtful approach to how and what you communicate.”

“My job is to get the very best people we can.”

“I personally wonder... regardless of whether you're a religious person or not, everybody comes into every conversation with a particular worldview and things that you believe are right or wrong. The question is can you counsel from a totally non-value-based position?”

“We have a lot of entitlement programs in this country, and we've seen how much they cost us on the back end when people don't have the education they need. I say let's make this investment on the front end. I think it'll be better for the individual and better for our state in the long term.”

“To say that because of someone's heritage or their ethnicity that they are unable to provide fair judgement is just wrong. It's just not how the judicial system works in our country and not how it ever can work.”

“I have commissioners who had very good jobs, making good salaries, and gave up something to work for the state.”

“We have to be about finding long-term solutions to our biggest challenges.”

“If we believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, then we shouldn't be recognizing it only as a book of historical and economic significance.”

“Lawyers don't serve everyone... Lawyers right now can say, 'I'm not the person to help you on that issue; I don't agree with what you're trying to do;' and they can turn down that person, and they can go somewhere else.”

“If we are recognizing the Bible as a sacred text, then we are violating the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee by designating it as the official state book.”

“At the end of the day, I think the most conservative principle there is, is giving people a dollar worth of value for a dollar worth of tax paid.”