Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder is pitching the Spring Hill wastewater deal as proof he can deliver results across party lines as he campaigns for Tennessee's 5th Congressional District seat.

Molder, a 43-year-old Democrat, is challenging Republican Charlie Hatcher in the Nov. 3 general election. In an Oct. 9 interview with the Williamson Herald, Molder said affordability, health care and government accountability are the issues he hears most from Williamson County voters.

Molder pointed to a recently approved interlocal agreement between Columbia and Spring Hill that would give Spring Hill access to up to 1.5 million gallons of wastewater treatment capacity per day. Spring Hill will fund the full $12 million project, including $3 million in upgrades to Columbia's Carters Creek Pike Pump Station, as we reported Oct. 15.

The deal is worth $12 million.

Molder said the agreement shows what governments can accomplish when officials work together instead of letting political differences get in the way. Columbia City Manager Tony Massey credited Molder's leadership in identifying the opportunity, according to a city statement on the agreement. Spring Hill is projected to pay Columbia between $21 million and $62 million over 10 years for treatment, depending on volume.

On federal policy, Molder drew contrasts with Hatcher. He criticized President Donald Trump's tariffs, arguing they have raised costs for consumers, small businesses and farmers. Molder said Hatcher has voiced support for the tariffs. Hatcher, a Williamson County farmer, veterinarian and former Tennessee agriculture commissioner, has emphasized his agricultural background in the campaign, the Herald reported.

"Farmers don't want a handout from the government," Molder told the Herald. "Farmers want the ability to charge fair and competitive prices at the market."

Molder also criticized the war with Iran, which he said has contributed to higher gasoline and diesel prices. He argued farmers face particular harm from rising fuel and fertilizer costs.

Hatcher's direct responses to these criticisms were not available for this article.

The race plays out in a district reshaped by Tennessee lawmakers during a May special legislative session. The legislature repealed its prohibition on mid-decade redistricting and signed new maps May 7, according to the Loyola Law School redistricting tracker. The redrawn 5th District now stretches from Williamson County to portions of Memphis. Molder criticized the changes, saying they created confusion for voters in Williamson and Maury counties.

Elected in 2018 as the youngest mayor in Columbia history, Molder is now in his second term, according to the Tennessee Lookout voter guide. He has been backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Black Congressional Caucus Political Action Committee.

At an Oct. 3 Nashville fundraiser headlined by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Molder told supporters the race was competitive. "The new 5th Congressional District is a district that Donald Trump won by over 23 points, and as of yesterday, we are in a very close single-digit race," he said at the event, as reported by the Williamson Scene. Leading projections consider the district a solid Republican seat, the Scene noted.

Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election runs through Oct. 29. Voting information is available at williamsoncounty-tn.gov.