u/backpackwayne

Hey, y’all! I’m Kristi Burke, Democratic nominee for Congress in Tennessee's 1st Congressional District.

On February 28, 2025, I attended a public town hall hosted by my representative, Republican Diana Harshbarger.

I went as a concerned neighbor without health insurance to ask why she happily voted for legislation that threatened rural hospitals (WJHL news article) and stripped Medicaid coverage from millions of people (blog post analysis).

She refused to answer, lied to other attendees, made promises she did not keep about preserving benefits, and had police officers remove me from the building when I wouldn’t sit down and let her keep lying to us. 

You can watch the video of that moment on YouTube.

Immediately after that incident, Rep. Harshbarger stopped holding public town halls and shut down her mobile office hours. When elected officials hide from the people they serve, democracy breaks down.

That's why I decided to run for Congress and take her seat.

East Tennessee has been kept under a 145-year Republican chokehold, but people across our 12 counties are tired of being ignored. 

My opponent failed to disclose millions in stock trades (Business Insider article) and used her political leverage to secure a presidential pardon for her husband (Associated Press article) after he pled guilty to pharmaceutical fraud (DOJ news release).

While she protects corrupt insiders, our neighbors face closed hospitals, skyrocketing costs, and predatory healthcare monopolies like Ballad Health (Virginia Mercury news article).

I am a muralist and grassroots activist running a campaign funded entirely by regular working people. I take zero corporate PAC money and staunchly oppose AIPAC and adjacent organizations that prop up Israel amidst its ongoing genocide of Palestinians. 

In our primary election, we mobilized the second-highest number of Democratic voters in our district's history, coming within 1,300 ballots of an all-time surge set back in 2006.

I am running to deliver universal healthcare, fully funded public education, and a fair tax system that holds billionaires and corporations accountable.

Following our primary victory, I publicly challenged Diana Harshbarger to stand on a stage and debate me. You can watch my primary victory speech on YouTube.

Learn more about my background: My Story Page

Learn more about my core values and non-negotiables: Platform Page.

If you want to help us shock the political establishment, please GIVE to our grassroots movement: Donation Page

My Linktree has ALL of our social media and coalitions pages, plus a ton of other important links: https://linktr.ee/votekristiburke

I am ready to answer your questions about organizing in deep-red rural America, confronting an entrenched system of conservative rubber stamps like Diana Harshbarger, and fighting for working class families. 

Ask me anything! (Responses begin at 6 p.m.)

Proof it's me: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19EyWyxACH/