FRANKLIN, Tennessee- Williamson County mayoral candidate Todd Kaestner held an official campaign kickoff event in Franklin on Sunday, where he outlined his vision for Tennessee’s wealthiest county should he be elected.
Kaestner’s kickoff event was attended by many of his supporters, state legislators, county commissioners, and incumbent Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson, who previously announced that he will not seek reelection next year.
In addition to having served as a Williamson County Commissioner for five years, Kaestner most recently retired as the executive vice president of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., where he worked for 41 years in finance, development, acquisitions, dispositions, and capital formation – helping grow the company into the largest senior living operator in the U.S. valued at $5.8 billion.
Pointing to the county’s exponential growth over the last few decades, Kaestner said he believes Williamson County would benefit from having an “experienced executive” such as himself as mayor.
“Our county is eight times the size it was 50 years ago…It’s no secret that our county faces a lot of challenges due to our growth. I think we need a serious, experienced executive with diverse skills to sit in that executive position of county mayor,” Kaestner said during the event.
Kaestner framed his campaign around three themes – protect, preserve, and prosper – and explained how he wants to protect Williamson County from “big city problems.”
He pointed to specific crime concerns, such as South American Theft Groups committing burglaries of upscale homes in Williamson County and surrounding areas, and argued that safe neighborhoods and well-funded, well-paid, conservative law enforcement are essential for the county’s continued success.
“We must keep crime out and ensure law enforcement is well funded, well paid, and conservative,” Kaestner said.
To preserve the county, Kaestner pledged to address its rapid growth in a way that protects rural landscapes, honors property rights, and reflects the county’s conservative Republican values and heritage.
“I want to preserve Williamson County. As mayor, I want to address growth, to preserve our unique rural landscapes while upholding our conservative Republican values and property rights, and celebrate our distinct heritage,” he said.
Further, when it comes to helping families and businesses prosper, Kaestner said that the county must resist becoming “the piggy bank” for the rest of the state and reject the idea that prosperity can be achieved through higher taxes.
“I want everyone – every business and family that lives in Williamson County – to prosper. I think there’s a couple truths that are undeniable. First, we cannot tax our way into prosperity. That’s clear. Secondly, it is time for us to stop being the piggy bank for the rest of the state of Tennessee,” he said.
Kaestner further vowed that, if he were mayor, he would use his business experience to negotiate better deals, streamline government, cut waste, reduce unnecessary spending, and continue investing in world-class schools.
“As mayor, I want to use my decades of business experience to save money by negotiating good deals, streamlining government services, fostering a thriving environment for families and businesses, and reclaiming revenue by leveraging their longstanding relationships and negotiating schools,” Kaestner said. “I’ll work with the county commission to cut waste, reduce unnecessary spending, prioritize infrastructure needs, tackle the county’s death, and continue our investment in world class education for our kids.”
“I’m asking for your trust, your support, your input, your concerns, and your vote,” he added.
Kaestner, who announced his mayoral bid in September, has seeded his campaign with $250,000 of his own personal funds.
The general election for Williamson County mayor will be held on August 6, 2026. The Republican primary is scheduled for May 5.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo ” Todd Kaestner” by Angie Hairrell Brown. Background Photo “Williamson County Courthouse” by Ichabod. CC BY-SA 3.0.
