Meet Chad
Fed up with the toxic current political climate and seeing a void in viable candidates in Tennessee willing to move in a progressive direction, humble East Nashville based comedian / dog-walker / single father Chad Riden is running for Governor of Tennessee in 2022 as an Independent with Democratic Socialist values.
FOR:
– fiber optic internet as a state-wide public utility
– expanded TennCare, #MedicareForAll
– unionized labor
– public schools
– high speed passenger rail
– common sense gun laws
– legalization of cannabis
– sustainable housing for the homeless
– LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination laws and protection
AGAINST:
– money in politics
– career politicians
– fossil fuels
– charter schools
– privatized prisons
– discrimination
– hate, fear, ignorance
Chad attended McMinn County High School in Athens, Tennessee Hiwassee College in Madisonville, and the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcasting / Mass Communications. He has worked in film, television, radio and internet development since 1995.
Chad Riden has been writing and performing stand-up comedy since November 13, 2000. He tells self-incriminating stories of his ridiculous deeds that embarrass his family and make everybody else think he’s a weirdo.
Riden has appeared on “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, the Late Show with David Letterman’s “Tony Mendez Show,” ABC/CMT’s “Nashville,” “CBS This Morning,” “Chrisley Knows Best,” “Still The King,” CMT-Canada’s “Mississippi Snake Grabbers,” and once ate lunch at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles whose newsletter called him “the most famous un-famous person.”
Chad produced and hosted the annual Guinness world record breaking 184+ hour long #BrokenRecordShow (longest stand-up comedy show, multiple comedians) every year from 2015-2018 as part of the Nashville Comedy Festival. “Broken Records,” a documentary shot during the 2016 show, is being shopped to festivals.
Riden ran for Mayor of Nashville in 2015, which was hilarious and everybody loved it even though he lost miserably. Undaunted, in 2018 he ran for Governor of Tennessee and garnered 1,096 votes statewide, finishing 14th out of 28 candidates on the ballot – a mere 1,335,011 votes short of winning the whole damn thing.
Chad Riden lives in East Nashville with a flying squirrel, a turtle and a “biological, human” daughter who does not approve of any of this.
Riden’s views are his own and do not reflect the views of any of the three non-profits he volunteers at: Walden’s Puddle wildlife rehab facility, WXNA-FM & Nashville StandUp – none of which endorse political candidates or Chad Riden.
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This grassroots campaign needs to engage as many Tennesseans as possible as we strive for real change. We’ve been mismanaged by career politicians and lawyers who only care about gaining money and power for themselves for too long.
The time to be complacent is OVER. We need people like you to help.