ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Senior Assistant District Attorney Katie Kurdys has filed to run as a Democratic candidate for Buncombe County district attorney in 2026, positioning herself as a veteran prosecutor focused on trauma-informed justice and reducing a growing case backlog.
Kurdys, who has spent a decade prosecuting violent crimes, said her experience makes her ready to lead the office on day one.
“I’m not a politician. I’m a prosecutor who has dedicated my career to delivering trauma-informed justice,” she said in a statement. “The job of district attorney requires day-one readiness to direct a team of prosecutors dealing with everything from traffic infractions to robbery, assault, murder, rape and human trafficking.”
Kurdys serves on several local and regional criminal-justice councils, including the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and the Buncombe County Public-Health Response to Violence Multi-Stakeholder Coalition. She said her priority is moving cases more efficiently, diverting appropriate cases from trial when possible, and ensuring prosecutors are trained to work with victims of trauma.
“Top-notch, trauma-informed prosecutors trying those cases that need to be tried produces fairness, certainty and finality,” she said.
Her campaign has drawn endorsements from crime survivors and law enforcement leaders, including former Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb, who retired in 2025.
“Katie is our best hope to reduce youth gun violence and save lives,” Lamb said. “Katie is a consummate professional dedicated to seeking justice for those affected by violent crime.”
Macy Bradshaw, a survivor of near-fatal domestic violence, credited Kurdys with reviving her stalled case. “Katie Kurdys saved my case when others had given up,” she said.
Kurdys is a UNC Chapel Hill graduate and earned her law degree from Campbell University. She began her career in the Durham County District Attorney’s Office, later joining Buncombe County’s office in 2018. She now oversees the violent-crimes unit, trains prosecutors and law enforcement, and advises on felony charging decisions. She has secured convictions in cases including first-degree murder and first-degree rape and previously led Buncombe County’s Conviction Integrity Review.
She was recently recognized by the Asheville Police Department for her work on a missing-person and welfare-check initiative launched after Tropical Storm Helene, which authorities say helped save seven lives.
The Democratic primary is scheduled for March 3, 2026.
More information is available at the campaign website, KatieKforDA.com.
