Standing in the Gap: Why I Am Running — and Why It Matters

I came into this world fighting. Born nearly three months premature, weighing just over four pounds, I did not have the luxury of an easy start. What I had instead were parents who taught me something far more valuable: stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, and for those who do not yet know they can.

My mother and sister and I shopped at consignment stores and learned to repurpose what we had. We were not taught to feel less than — we were taught resourcefulness and genuine grit. I started working at fifteen, put myself through college working in a factory and a clothing store, and have not stopped since. I am fifty-one years old, and I have worked every single one of those years. I fell in love with journalism and marketing at fifteen, built businesses from the ground up, and somewhere along the way, corporate management started calling me a troubleshooter, someone "uniquely gifted" and, they would say, "revered." I always laughed at that word. My answer was always the same: I just treat people like people. The way I would want to be treated. I also believe you should be willing to do every job you ask your team to do - and I do.

That is who I am. That is who I have always been. And that is who I will be on the Putnam County Commission.

I am running because I believe transparency builds trust and because I believe Putnam County deserves both.

Early in my candidacy, the County Attorney's office reached out to me. I welcomed that conversation fully and used it as an opportunity to ensure I was operating in complete compliance with every applicable standard. I followed up by contacting the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance directly, speaking with their General Counsel, and submitting a detailed written summary of my practices as both a publisher and a candidate. On April 13, the General Counsel responded in writing: "none of them raise any red flags or appear problematic." Bureau Executive Director Bill Young reviewed the correspondence and confirmed the same.

I share that not to boast, but because you deserve to know that I did not wait to be asked and when I was asked, I answered completely and in writing. I also made a proactive commitment to the County Attorney: if elected, my media companies will not accept county-paid legal advertising revenue. I am self-funding this campaign. I answer to no donors, no political networks, and no arrangements made behind closed doors. I answer to you.

My faith guides everything I do. At our Reagan Rally in March, an event my husband Herbert and I created specifically so that candidates who did not have a traditional campaign kickoff would have a free, open platform to speak, I told the crowd something I want to repeat here: I am not just worried about my constituents. I want to hear "well done, good and faithful servant." I want to stand in the gap for every person in this district, regardless of who they voted for, what they believe, or where they come from. That is not a campaign slogan. It is a calling.

This has not been an easy season. My husband had a serious health scare in January. In March, right as I was preparing for the rally, my father was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. I kept going because that is exactly what my parents taught me to do. You stand. Especially when it is hard.

I want to be clear about something else: I do not require agreement to have a conversation. Throughout this campaign I have kept an open door — with people who share my values and with people who do not. I believe deeply that neighbors can disagree, that we can hold different convictions, and that we can still work together for the good of this county. I do not need the loudest megaphone to make my point. I need the right one. And I will always choose honest dialogue over political theater.

That same conviction is why I have not responded in kind to some of what has happened during this campaign. Shortly before the rally, I received an email offering a political endorsement contingent on my answering a question about Planned Parenthood the way they wanted me to. My answer, then and now, is the same: I am 100% pro-life, 100% of the time. I addressed it publicly and moved on. I will not be pressured into positions I do not hold, and I will not pretend otherwise to earn anyone's endorsement.

Now I need to share something with you that I have not shared publicly before and I am sharing it here, in this newspaper, because you deserve to know it before you vote.

Through routine digital monitoring, work I do professionally as the owner of a digital marketing agency I identified a domain configuration that redirected users away from our publication, targeting this publication and its readers. The domain highlandinsider.com -  missing the "s" from our established brand name - was registered on March 28, 2026, exactly fifteen days after our public campaign kickoff on March 13. The domain was configured with a specific tracking parameter, ?ref=hi, designed to intercept readers who mistyped our web address, redirect them to a political party's landing page, and track and remarket to them using UTM codes. In plain English: someone registered a near-identical version of this publication's name to siphon our readership, track them, and use that data for political targeting against a candidate who also happens to be the publisher of that same outlet.

I first became aware of the issue after several subscribers contacted our office with a concern. They had attempted to visit our website to subscribe, but instead were redirected to a different site.

After looking into those reports, I identified a domain name similar to ours, missing one letter that, when entered, redirected users elsewhere. I confirmed this behavior through direct testing and documented it using screen recordings, screenshots, and timestamped records.

I also observed the use of tracking parameters commonly associated with digital marketing campaigns, indicating that user activity could be measured as part of that redirect.

I identified it immediately. I documented everything and permanently archived the evidence. I have not sent a demand letter. I have not filed a formal complaint. I am telling you the voters directly. Because that is what a publisher does. And because I believe sunlight is the best disinfectant.

I genuinely feel compassion for anyone who felt this was the right approach to a local election. I pray for them. And then I get back to work.

Because here is what I know: Putnam County has real challenges that demand real leadership. We are facing a $1.2 billion infrastructure gap. We have housing affordability pressures squeezing working families. We have a budget process that needs more transparency and more accountability. These are not issues that get solved by spoofed websites or altered photos with devil horns. They get solved by showing up, doing the homework, building consensus, and when necessary standing firm.

I am a consensus builder by nature. But I am not afraid to take a stand. When the voices of everyday citizens are being ignored, when taxpayer dollars are at stake, when the character of this community is on the line, I will be your advocate.

This column is published in front of our paywall - free for every reader, subscriber or not - because the people of this county deserve access to information that affects their vote without a barrier. Every livestream we have produced, including the Reagan Rally and my campaign kickoff, is free to watch on the Highlands Insider YouTube channel. No subscription required. No paywall. No gate. If you want to see who I am, what I said, and how I said it, it is all there, unedited, for anyone to judge for themselves.

I love this county.  I love this country.  I love its people - all of them. I am asking for your vote on May 5 because I believe, with everything I have, that Putnam County's best days are ahead of us.

Be a light. Be bright. Be bold.

— Clarissa Williams

DISCLAIMER - Clarissa Williams is Publisher of Highlands Insider and a candidate for Putnam County Commission, District 2. This content is provided in accordance with the publication's editorial standards and transparency practices. All personal columns are clearly labeled as opinion/editorial content.