Adam "Ditch" Kurtz is a Nashville musician and activist running for Governor of Tennessee in the 2026 Democratic primary. He launched his campaign with the slogan "By the people, for the people, I'm a people," emphasizing a grassroots, small-donor-only approach that explicitly rejects corporate money. Kurtz advocates for making Tennessee public schools number one in the country, raising teacher pay, supporting teachers' unions, and directing marijuana tax revenue toward education. He brings genuine populist energy to the race, despite having no prior political experience or established fundraising infrastructure.
Where does Adam "ditch" Kurtz stand on the issues?
Adam "ditch" Kurtz has a recorded position on 17 issues. Each is Civoren's summary of the campaign's own public material, with the source linked.
Affordable Housing
▲Supports
Wants to help Tennesseans struggling with rent and make home ownership achievable.
“If you are struggling to pay for rent or think home ownership is but an American Dream, I will work with you and experts to make it an American Reality.”
Opposes private prisons (ending contracts with CoreCivic), supports ending qualified immunity, body cameras and independent oversight for state police, and restoring voting rights for non-violent offenses.
“End contracts with CoreCivic and all other private prison companies”
Supports investing in renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro) and complementing it with nuclear to reduce fossil fuel dependence and address climate change.
“I am all for investing in renewables like solar and wind, but we could complement that energy strategy with nuclear.”
Supports common-sense gun reforms: universal background checks, red-flag laws, banning individuals convicted of violent crimes from buying guns, and a permit requirement for open carry.
Supports limiting corporate/investment purchases of single-family homes, zoning reform to encourage duplexes and starter homes, banning junk fees in rentals, and a Tennessee Land Bank Authority to redistribute vacant and abandoned homes.
Opposes Tennessee's abortion ban; supports protecting access to reproductive care and instructing the Attorney General not to prosecute anyone for performing or receiving reproductive healthcare.
“There should not be an abortion ban at all. How dare the TN GOP think they know best about what people should do with their own bodies... Government has no role in the middle of a doctor and a patient.”
Opposes the Education Freedom Scholarship/voucher program and wants it repealed, arguing it diverts funding from public schools to subsidize families already in private school.
“I do not support the voucher system. We all know most people who benefit from this are already sending their kids to private schools. We need to invest in public school, not steal from them to subsidize families sending their kids to the schools they're already able to afford. I support getting rid of it.”
