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Democrat

Adam Kurtz

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Democrat

Adam Kurtz

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Tennessee Democratic Governor nominee?

$9.7K

AUG 7, 2026

Primary Election

Party selects its nominee.

Overview

Current roleMusician (pedal steel guitarist, guitarist)

PartyDemocratic

Political ideologyProgressive Democrat

LocationTennessee

BackgroundMusician (pedal steel guitarist, guitarist)

EducationPolitical Science degree (institution not publicly specified)

Notable personal detailsAdam “Ditch” Kurtz is a Nashville-based pedal steel guitarist and working musician who is running as a Democrat for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 election cycle. He has said he holds a political science degree and has framed his campaign around community-first governance and affordability-focused issues such as healthcare, education, and housing. His campaign presents itself as grassroots and outside the political establishment.

SourcesShow

ditch4governor.com linktr.ee en.wikipedia.org nashville.gov maurydems.org theorg.com octagonai.co independentpoliticalreport.com apnews.com polymarket.com ballotready.org electionline.org npiprofile.com tnfirefly.com predictionedge.com sos-tn-gov-files.tnsosfiles.com publications.tnsosfiles.com docquery.fec.gov arxiv.org newschannel5.com nashville.citycast.fm musicmecca.org capecharlesmirror.com doctor.webmd.com pbs.org thima.org secure.actblue.com wpln.org wordandway.org suttonsmart.com legislation.ballotpedia.org developer.ballotpedia.org cdn.ballotpedia.org justfacts.votesmart.org fec.gov nga.org congress.gov govinfo.gov voterguide.ballotpedia.org clerk.house.gov

Positions

LiberalConservative

Economy & Taxes

Supports policies to lower costs for working Tennesseans through expanded public spending (free or affordable healthcare, free pre-K and child care, raising the minimum wage) and seeks to eliminate the grocery tax while opposing corporate influence in policy such as unchecked tax incentives for large corporations. Advocates directing new revenue (e.g., marijuana tax revenue) toward public schools and emphasizes small-donor, no-corporate-money campaigning.

Healthcare

Supports universal, affordable (including free) healthcare and frames healthcare as a basic human right; calls for expanding access and addressing rising premiums and loss of coverage in Tennessee.

Immigration & Border

Adam “Ditch” Kurtz’s campaign materials express support for immigrants and say he wants to respect immigrant neighbors, but they do not provide specific immigration or border policies such as asylum, enforcement, or legalization pathways. Public interviews and local coverage note he discusses immigration as part of his platform, but concrete policy proposals are not detailed in the available sources.

News

AINews Summary

Last updatedMar 14, 2026

Adam Kurtz is showing up in election-related coverage tied to Tennessee’s 2026 primary, with key dates approaching for voter registration, absentee requests, and early voting ahead of the May 5 contest. Broader 2026 election dynamics are also in focus as the U.S. Supreme Court considers a Voting Rights Act decision that could affect redistricting and the partisan balance of House seats, potentially shaping the environment for candidates.

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Articles

NYNew York Magazine3 months ago