Hank Linderman
Hank Linderman (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on May 19, 2026.[source]
Biography
Hank Linderman was born in Florida.[1] Linderman's career experience includes working as a musician.[1][2]
Elections
2026
See also: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on May 19, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
William Compton, Hank Linderman, and Megan Wingfield are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 19, 2026.
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie is running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 19, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Brett Guthrie | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2024
See also: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024
Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (May 21 Republican primary)
Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (May 21 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Hank Linderman in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brett Guthrie (R) | 73.1 | 252,826 |
 | Hank Linderman (D) | 26.9 | 93,029 | |
| Total votes: 345,855 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Hank Linderman defeated William Compton in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Hank Linderman | 57.3 | 12,515 |
 | William Compton | 42.7 | 9,313 | |
| Total votes: 21,828 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Brett Guthrie advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Linderman in this election.
2022
See also: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Hank Linderman in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brett Guthrie (R) | 71.9 | 170,487 |
| Hank Linderman (D) | 28.1 | 66,769 | |
| Total votes: 237,256 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Hank Linderman defeated William Compton in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Hank Linderman | 58.2 | 20,174 |
| William Compton | 41.8 | 14,465 | |
| Total votes: 34,639 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Lee Watts and Brent Feher in the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brett Guthrie | 78.1 | 52,265 |
 | Lee Watts | 17.9 | 11,996 | |
 | Brent Feher | 4.0 | 2,681 | |
| Total votes: 66,942 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
2020
See also: Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020
Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (June 23 Democratic primary)
Kentucky's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (June 23 Republican primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Hank Linderman, Robert Lee Perry, Lewis Carter, and Poet Tribble in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brett Guthrie (R) | 71.0 | 255,735 |
| Hank Linderman (D) | 26.3 | 94,643 | |
 | Robert Lee Perry (L) | 2.1 | 7,588 | |
 | Lewis Carter (Populist Party) | 0.7 | 2,431 | |
| Poet Tribble (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 2 | ||
| Total votes: 360,399 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Hank Linderman advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2.
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Kathleen Free in the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on June 23, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brett Guthrie | 88.6 | 65,313 |
| Kathleen Free | 11.4 | 8,380 | ||
| Total votes: 73,693 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Robert Lee Perry advanced from the Libertarian convention for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on March 7, 2020.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Lee Perry (L) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie defeated Hank Linderman and Thomas Loecken in the general election for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brett Guthrie (R) | 66.7 | 171,700 |
| Hank Linderman (D) | 31.1 | 79,964 | |
| Thomas Loecken (Independent) | 2.2 | 5,681 | ||
| Total votes: 257,345 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Hank Linderman defeated Brian Pedigo, Rane Eir Olivia Sessions, and Grant Short in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Hank Linderman | 30.0 | 14,517 |
 | Brian Pedigo | 28.7 | 13,866 | |
 | Rane Eir Olivia Sessions | 21.7 | 10,501 | |
 | Grant Short | 19.6 | 9,470 | |
| Total votes: 48,354 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2
Incumbent Brett Guthrie advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Kentucky District 2 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Brett Guthrie |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Hank Linderman has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Hank Linderman asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Hank Linderman, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for. More than 23,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.
You can ask Hank Linderman to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing hank@hank4ky.com.
2024
Hank Linderman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Linderman's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Contract For Rural And Working America: Issues That Matter to Kentucky and Our Nation - Restoring Health Care - Living Wage For All Working Kentuckians - Education and Child Care - Support for Small Subsistence and Family Farms - Infrastructure and Supply Chain Inequality In America Almost every problem America faces has its roots in inequality; social and economic. Addressing inequality is critical if we are to make any headway in the fields of health care, employment and the future of work, education, and even dealing with climate change. Equality is the American ideal; "With liberty and justice for all." So it is important to understand that we cannot succeed as a Nation without confronting social and economic inequality head on. This means, that we must strive for equal rights, no matter your race, gender, age, or any other physical description. It means we must strive for equal opportunity no matter your family's net worth. It means, improving schooling, improving our social safety net, and investing in our people as an investment in our Nation. And, it means redefining the role of our Nation's police, re-examining the goals and the means of policing. We need to find ways to include more direct community involvement in policing, and raising the standards for entry for recruits. We must see a reduction in the unnecessary use of violence, particularly against black Americans. Our economy needs work as well. We can no longer accept the concept of "Trickle Down" without a comparable and perhaps even more robust application of "Trickle UP." The leaves of our national tree have been getting plenty of sunshine and water; it is time to pay attention to the roots. To the very wealthy in America, I have good news: your lives will be better if the rest of us are healthier, better educated, and a little better off. We will strive for balance. This is one of the most difficult goals toachieve - it is a moving target, and the instant we find balance, things are already shifting. It is a job that is never finished. And yet, it is a job that must be done. We must put in the effort now, to plant seeds for trees we may never see, to build an America that works for all of us. Our Nation, and our world, depend on us. NøPE No Plastics In my Environmemt We all use too much single-use plastic, and often we don't have a lot of choice in the matter. For example, if you order a cup of coffee on a flight, it can arrive with a single-use plastic lid and stirrer. Wearing a NøPE button lets your flight attendant know you don't want any single-use plastic. If you go to a coffee shop wearing a NøPE button, the server at the counter knows you want a ceramic cup or a paper cup with no plastic lid. At restaurants, your NøPE button means you want cardboard go boxes, that you don't want a plastic straw, that you want to do what you can to eliminate single-use plastics. NøPE means "No Plastics in my Environment". It can also mean you want your school or other organization to divest themselves of petroleum based investments. It means you want to preserve the Earth for future generations. It may take some time to achieve these goals, but raising awareness is the place to start. Every time someone notices your NoPE button, you have made a tiny difference. These tiny differences will add up over time and lead to minds and actions being changed. We came up with NøPE as part of our campaign for Congress in Kentucky's 2nd District - that's why our campaign is a small part of the NøPE button. If you want to use the artwork we have created for your organization or political campaign, please feel free to use our artwork to order your own buttons, you are free to replace our campaign info with yours. We reserve the right to withdraw this permission if your organization is trying to undermine the elimination of single-use plastics. |
” |
| —Hank Linderman's campaign website (2024)[4] | ||
2022
Hank Linderman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Linderman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
- Neither of our parties is doing a very good job for the people.
- I am running to encourage needed changes inside the Democratic Party: to reconnect with people who work, and to come back to rural and small-town America.
- I'm a pragmatic populist progressive, willing to collaborate to solve problems.
Note: 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.
Campaign website
Linderman's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Contract For Rural And Working America ISSUES THAT MATTER TO KENTUCKY AND OUR NATION Restoring Health Care In Rural America Rural hospitals are failing at an accelerating rate. As we address reforming and modernizing our health care system, we must secure the survival of rural hospitals. Our goals for America's health care system are: significantly reduced costs, coverage for everyone, and a system that iseasier to use and that gets better results. A modernized health care system will alsoprovide relief and stimulus for businesses which are paying rising health care costs each year. We believe single-payer "Medicare For All" provides the structure and resources to acheive these goals. Education & Childcare Education must once again be an investment in our Nation's future. Higher education, from trade schools to universities must be made available to any qualifying student for free or for very low cost. Public schools must be expanded to provide childcare and preschool in order to allow working people to work. These programs must be available to all children regardless of income. Excessive student debt carried by many Americans is a 1.6 trillion dollar drag on the U.S. economy, so financing of education must be cleared of predatory lenders. We need the return of high school shop classes, home economics, trade schools and apprenticeship programs. These will be critical as we move forward with rebuilding our supply chain. All of these programs will create jobs. Support for Small, Subsistence and Family Farms Farming by individuals, families and co-ops needs to be encouraged. Tax benefits like those given to large agri-businesses that will work for and not against the family farm must be implemented. Possible policies include: price supports for family farms or co-ops, a national non-profit disaster insurance program designed to protect family farmers, a national non-profit credit bureau to finance family farms and equipment, and community tax benefits for businesses using or selling local family farm products. We will also support "Right To Repair" laws and common sense migrant worker policies. We need high quality locally grown food, clean water and air, sustained wildlife habitat, and the assurance that our children will continue to want to call rural America, "home". The resurrection of vibrant rural communities will bring much needed health and economic benefits to all Americans. Rebuilding America's Infrastructure And Domestic Supply Chain For too long, working people have been denied the benefits of global trade The needs of business, working people and national security must all be considered and balanced. We must rebuild our domestic supply chain, particularly in industries with national defense ramifications, such as tech, electronics, renewable energy. A Living Wage Compared to the 1970's, wages have dropped, in fact, 1977's minimum wage adjusted for inflation and purchasing power would be $22/hr. today. Raising the minimum wage is one way the Nation can begin to address the extreme inequality we now face. It will also raise tax revenues, stimulate the economy, and provide much needed opportunity throughout America. Support For Workers In Declining Industries We believe American workers need protection from the increasingly turbulent changes they experience in the workforce. As industries decline, working populations need support. Some of this support must be direct, such as using targeted/universal basic income when factories shut down. By designating development zones and using tax credits and grants to encourage new industry these areas can be spared the devastation they are currently facing. Renewable Rural Energy: Water, Wind and Solar The tremendously profitable fossil fuel industry is subsidized annually to the tune of billions of dollars. We question the need to subsidize highly profitable international corporations. We think rural America would be better served if subsidies were redirected to make energy costs lower for all Americans,. This will reverse the pollution of our air, water, and land, safeguarding a cleaner environment to pass on to our children, as well as creating more and better paying energy sector� jobs. To ensure the best future for America, our energy must come from renewable, non-polluting sources. The transformation away from petroleum powered vehicles to electric has already begun - providing clean power for all of our needs will be a challenge we cannot afford to ignore. Rural Broadband The internet is now a requirement for daily life, like water and power. We must bring the internet to every place Americans live and work - this will improve education and provide business opportunities that are currently impossible. Construction of this new infrastructure will provide jobs as well. To avoid the difficulties states have faced when trying to do this themselves, this must be a national project, like Rural Electrification (1936) or the creation of the Federal Interstate System (1956). Additionally, we need higher standards for wireless carriers. Extensive sections of rural America are without any coverage. Wireless providers that benefit from doing business in cities must up their game in Rural America, or other ways of providing coverage must be found. Abuse Prevention, Rehabilitation and Support Drug abuse in America is a complex problem that will require efforts on several fronts to control. Prevention programs in schools, expanded health care, rehab and follow up will all be important, as will be addressing America's rising inequality. In Kentucky one in four public school students have a parent in jail or serving time for a drug related offense. The collateral damage from the "War on Drugs" continues to do almost as much damage to rural families and communities as the problem of abuse and addiction. The War on Drugs has failed. It is time for a more enlightened approach. We must also hold drug manufacturers liable for misleading the public, and for irresponsibly promoting and overselling addictive drugs. Legalization of Cannabis Cannabis is under prohibition in many states, but the writing is on the wall: legalization is coming, sooner or later. Legal cannabis and hemp mean a new cash crop for farmers, new business opportunities for investors and business owners, and the possibility of new ways of treating pain without addiction. Cannabis enforcement disproportionately punishes people of color; legalization will eliminate a significant piece of systemic racism. Secretary of Rural Affairs This new cabinet level position must be created with the goal of making rural life more than survivable: Rural America must become a place where families can thrive, with new opportunities for work, education and a dignified life.
Almost every problem America faces has its roots in inequality; social and economic. Addressing inequality is critical if we are to make any headway in the fields of health care, employment and the future of work, education, and even dealing with climate change. Equality is the American ideal; "With liberty and justice for all." So it is important to understand that we cannot succeed as a Nation without confronting social and economic inequality head on. This means, that we must strive for equal rights, no matter your race, gender, age, or any other physical description. It means we must strive for equal opportunity no matter your family's net worth. It means, improving schooling, improving our social safety net, and investing in our people as an investment in our Nation. And, it means redefining the role of our Nation's police, re-examining the goals and the means of policing. We need to find ways to include more direct community involvement in policing, and raising the standards for entry for recruits. We must see a reduction in the unnecessary use of violence, particularly against black Americans. Our economy needs work as well. We can no longer accept the concept of "Trickle Down" without a comparable and perhaps even more robust application of "Trickle UP." The leaves of our national tree have been getting plenty of sunshine and water; it is time to pay attention to the roots. To the very wealthy in America, I have good news: your lives will be better if the rest of us are healthier, better educated, and a little better off. We will strive for balance. This is one of the most difficult goals toachieve - it is a moving target, and the instant we find balance, things are already shifting. It is a job that is never finished. And yet, it is a job that must be done. We must put in the effort now, to plant seeds for trees we may never see, to build an America that works for all of us. Our Nation, and our world, depend on us.
No Plastics In my Environmemt We all use too much single-use plastic, and often we don't have a lot of choice in the matter. For example, if you order a cup of coffee on a flight, it can arrive with a single-use plastic lid and stirrer. Wearing a NøPE button lets your flight attendant know you don't want any single-use plastic. If you go to a coffee shop wearing a NøPE button, the server at the counter knows you want a ceramic cup or a paper cup with no plastic lid. At restaurants, your NøPE button means you want cardboard go boxes, that you don't want a plastic straw, that you want to do what you can to eliminate single-use plastics. NøPE means "No Plastics in my Environment". It can also mean you want your school or other organization to divest themselves of petroleum based investments. It means you want to preserve the Earth for future generations. It may take some time to achieve these goals, but raising awareness is the place to start. Every time someone notices your NoPE button, you have made a tiny difference. These tiny differences will add up over time and lead to minds and actions being changed. We came up with NøPE as part of our campaign for Congress in Kentucky's 2nd District - that's why our campaign is a small part of the NøPE button. If you want to use the artwork we have created for your organization or political campaign, please feel free to use our artwork to order your own buttons, you are free to replace our campaign info with yours. We reserve the right to withdraw this permission if your organization is trying to undermine the elimination of single-use plastics.[3] |
” |
| —Hank Linderman's campaign website (2022)[5] | ||
2020
Hank Linderman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Hank Linderman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Linderman's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Hank supports a Healthcare solution that values human goals. It must be easier to use, be more affordable, and put patient care over profits for healthcare companies. Hank is proposing a nation-wide rural broadband project, on the scale of the highway system, that would bring reliable, good internet access to all Americans. Hank supports legalizing medical marijuana and rescheduling cannabis, because the benefits of this plant far outweigh the costs of prohibition.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Hank wants to return civil discourse and collaboration to the political sphere. Idealogical purity is a weakness, and we need to have an America that works together for the future.
Note: 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.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
|
Candidate U.S. House Kentucky District 2 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hank Linderman for Kentucky, "Meet Hank," accessed February 21, 2022
- ↑ Vimeo, "Meet your Candidate Hank Linderman," accessed February 15, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Hank Linderman's campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ Hank Linderman for Kentucky, “Home,” accessed November 4, 2022
