Kristi Burke

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Kristi Burke completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Burke's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-403694-2026-05-04\" id=\"heading-bio-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-403694-2026-05-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-403694-2026-05-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI was raised with a foundation in the church, and taught that the highest command was to care for the vulnerable.\r\n<p>Today, I am running against a system that has inverted that value. I’m running to challenge a political system that claims moral authority while protecting corporate profits at the expense of human dignity.\r\nMy journey has been about refining my values, not rejecting them. I realized that if we are truly going to prioritize our neighbors, we must fight for their right to survive.\r\nI know what it’s like to struggle because I’m living it with you. My resume isn't a list of political appointments, it’s a story of American resilience. I’ve worked in the beauty industry, painted large-scale murals, and built a platform on YouTube rooted in critical thinking.\r\nLike so many of you in the 1st District:\r\nI rent my home; I don’t own it.\r\nI don’t have health insurance, navigating the same \"pay or pray\" system you do.\r\nI’ve spent years working to climb out of debt in an economy designed to keep us underwater.\r\nI am not a polished politician. I am a neighbor who is tired of watching our representation be sold to the highest bidder while we are told to \"wait our turn\" for dignity. I believe in the radical idea that no one should have to earn the right to survive.\r\n</p>\nI’m running because justice isn’t a buzzword to me. It’s a moral necessity. I’m here to fight for equity, and give TN-01 a voice that sounds like the people who actually live here.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-403694-2026-05-04\" id=\"heading-key-message-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-403694-2026-05-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-403694-2026-05-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>Human Rights Over Corporate Profits: I believe that essential needs like healthcare, housing, and a clean environment, should never be gatekept by wealth. My campaign is a direct challenge to a system that prioritizes corporate balance sheets over the survival and dignity of East Tennesseans.</li><li>The Right to Survive: As someone living the \"pay or pray\" system without insurance, My message is personal. I am not just proposing policy; I am fighting for a world where no one in the 1st District is one medical emergency away from ruin.</li><li>A Voice for the Neighbors, Not the Highest Bidder: I am running as a neighbor and a worker, not a career politician. My campaign is about shifting power from wealthy donors to the people who actually live, rent, and work in this district, ensuring their voices are finally heard in Washington.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-403694-2026-05-04\" id=\"heading1-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-403694-2026-05-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-403694-2026-05-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy core policy focus is systemic change and accountability, centered on four key areas. First, Corporate Accountability and Tax Justice: I will dismantle corporate political power, enforce anti-monopoly laws, and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share. Second, Reclaiming War Powers/Ending Militarism: We must prioritize human needs over military expansion. As I've said, \"There's always money for bombs. There's never money for healthcare.\" Third, Systemic Justice: I advocate for criminal justice reform and replacing agencies like ICE with a system prioritizing human rights. Finally, Local Infrastructure and Environmental Justice: I demand an accountable TVA for East Tennessee, and protection against disproportionate pollution exposure.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-403694-2026-05-04\" id=\"heading2-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse2-403694-2026-05-04\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse2-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading2-403694-2026-05-04\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse2-403694-2026-05-04\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tCenter for Freethought Equality <br/>\n<p>https://www.take-bac-congress.us/<br/>\n</p>\nhttps://couragefordemocracy.com/\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nKristi Burke completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Burke's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I was raised with a foundation in the church, and taught that the highest command was to care for the vulnerable. Today, I am running against a system that has inverted that value. I’m running to challenge a political system that claims moral authority while protecting corporate profits at the expense of human dignity.\r\nMy journey has been about refining my values, not rejecting them. I realized that if we are truly going to prioritize our neighbors, we must fight for their right to survive.\r\nI know what it’s like to struggle because I’m living it with you. My resume isn't a list of political appointments, it’s a story of American resilience. I’ve worked in the beauty industry, painted large-scale murals, and built a platform on YouTube rooted in critical thinking.\r\nLike so many of you in the 1st District:\r\nI rent my home; I don’t own it.\r\nI don’t have health insurance, navigating the same \"pay or pray\" system you do.\r\nI’ve spent years working to climb out of debt in an economy designed to keep us underwater.\r\nI am not a polished politician. I am a neighbor who is tired of watching our representation be sold to the highest bidder while we are told to \"wait our turn\" for dignity. I believe in the radical idea that no one should have to earn the right to survive. I’m running because justice isn’t a buzzword to me. It’s a moral necessity. I’m here to fight for equity, and give TN-01 a voice that sounds like the people who actually live here. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? Human Rights Over Corporate Profits: I believe that essential needs like healthcare, housing, and a clean environment, should never be gatekept by wealth. My campaign is a direct challenge to a system that prioritizes corporate balance sheets over the survival and dignity of East Tennesseans. The Right to Survive: As someone living the \"pay or pray\" system without insurance, My message is personal. I am not just proposing policy; I am fighting for a world where no one in the 1st District is one medical emergency away from ruin. A Voice for the Neighbors, Not the Highest Bidder: I am running as a neighbor and a worker, not a career politician. My campaign is about shifting power from wealthy donors to the people who actually live, rent, and work in this district, ensuring their voices are finally heard in Washington. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? My core policy focus is systemic change and accountability, centered on four key areas. First, Corporate Accountability and Tax Justice: I will dismantle corporate political power, enforce anti-monopoly laws, and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share. Second, Reclaiming War Powers/Ending Militarism: We must prioritize human needs over military expansion. As I've said, \"There's always money for bombs. There's never money for healthcare.\" Third, Systemic Justice: I advocate for criminal justice reform and replacing agencies like ICE with a system prioritizing human rights. Finally, Local Infrastructure and Environmental Justice: I demand an accountable TVA for East Tennessee, and protection against disproportionate pollution exposure. What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign? Center for Freethought Equality https://www.take-bac-congress.us/ https://couragefordemocracy.com/\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}]