‘Clear eyes, full heart, can’t win’: Why Kate Barr is running anyway

Kate Compton Barr says she knows she is going to lose. In fact, the Democratic state senate candidate’s campaign motto for the District 37 race is “clear eyes, full heart, can’t win.”

“It’s not just a safe Republican seat. It’s like a super-duper locked-down Republican seat now,” she said. “This felt like something that I could handle. Labeling myself a loser on the internet is nothing to me. I’m also giving my kids the example that sometimes even when you lose, you can win a little bit.”

Barr lives in Davidson, which was represented by Democratic state Sen. Natasha Marcus until this election cycle. After lawmakers redrew the maps, her home is no longer in a safe Democratic district. It is now in a safe Republican district. District 37 includes only five Mecklenburg County precincts. It includes all of Iredell County. In the 2020 election, the people who live within the new District 37 voted for Donald Trump over Joe Biden by 24 points.

Barr says she recognizes it would take an act of God to win. But she says she is running because voters deserve two choices on their ballot.

“I would love to represent the district. I mean, I won’t. Like we just have to be super honest with people about this because I get this question all the time,” she said.  “You guys, like, 100% no. It is such a lock that I think it might be the biggest upset in history if I won. But we are going to make some noise and have a little fun and hold our representatives accountable in the process.”

She says competition is good for democracy and she plans to talk about the perils of gerrymandering. She says her campaign will be “radically transparent.”

Barr will face Republican state Sen. Vickie Sawyer in the election. Sawyer tells Channel 9 she appreciates Barr’s sense of humor and willingness to serve.

VIDEO: PART 1--The Political Beat with Ch. 9′s Joe Bruno (December 17, 2023)

PART 1--The Political Beat with Ch. 9's Joe Bruno (December 17, 2023)

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