Kristi Burke

D

Won the August 6, 2026 Democratic primary

Kristi Burke is the Democratic nominee for Tennessee's 1st District, running on a platform centered on healthcare access and economic fairness for East Tennessee.[3]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsExpand public health coverage

    Campaign message emphasizes that healthcare should not depend on wealth and says no one in the district should be 'one medical emergency away from ruin.'[3]

    “I believe that essential needs like healthcare, housing, and a clean environment, should never be gatekept by wealth.”

In their words — priorities

  • Says essential needs like healthcare, housing, and a clean environment should not be gatekept by wealth, and frames her campaign as a challenge to policies that prioritize corporate interests over working residents.[3]

Background

  • Says she was raised with a religious upbringing that taught her to 'care for the vulnerable,' and describes herself as living without health insurance under what she calls a 'pay or pray' system.[3]

Campaign money

Raised $102K · spent $88K · $14K cash on hand (through 2026-07-17) FEC filing ↗

Also on the ballot for this seat: Diana Harshbarger, Joshua Ray Ashburn, Chris Campbell, Richard Baker, Billy Cody, Tyler McClain · Compare side by side

Sources cited in this profile

  1. 3.Kristi Burke's Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey responses · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words