House District 1 primary election voter's guide: Meet the candidates

The House District 1 primary election voter guide outlines the candidates for a race covering far East Tennessee, including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, portions of Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties. On Aug. 6, voters will nominate one Democratic and one Republican candidate to advance to the general election. The guide presents a candidate for the Democratic side, Kristi Burke, 35, an artist and YouTube content creator, and includes responses to an online questionnaire. Burke cites federal debt above $30 trillion and says she supports tax reform that ensures billionaires and corporations pay a fair share, alongside spending constraints. She also supports stronger border and humane immigration enforcement, investment in border security and internal programs for legal status, and immediate funding relief to keep rural hospitals open. For health care access, gas and grocery prices, she emphasizes rural hospital support, universal health care via Medicare for All, and breaking up corporate monopolies and antitrust enforcement.