Kate Barr, a lifelong Democrat, is seeking the GOP nomination for the state’s 14th Congressional District. Her opponent is Rep. Tim Moore, a veteran congressman, who is likely to win the Republican Party nomination easily. The primary is March 3.
What makes Barr’s candidacy unusual is she is running as a protest candidate, but critics are accusing her of being a secretive Democrat, and now viral social media posts are drawing more attention to her race.
After the Republican-led state legislature redrew district maps, giving the GOP more representation, she claims the 14th District is a “gerrymandered” district in purplish North Carolina. That's because Mecklenburg County leaned Democrat and its new lines include more rural areas to benefit the Republican congressman.
Barr’s candidacy blew up on social media when she was interviewed in a recent podcast (pictured at right) and described her longshot campaign.
"I am telling people the truth,” she stated. “I knock on a door and say, ‘I am running in the Republican primary, but I am not a Republican, I am a progressive. I can't claim a Democrat.’”
Barr was interviewed by a podcast called "The Hometown Holler," which asked her directly if she's trying to "trick people" with her campaign.
Barr replied that her campaign website states at the top she is not a "real Republican."
Thanks to a 45-second portion of the interview, where Barr calls herself a progressive, social media blew up. Many posts allege Barr is secretly running as a Republican despite being a registered Democrat.
One popular X channel, owned by North Carolina resident Matt Van Swol, has accumulated more than 1 million views. The description calls her a "FAKE REPUBLICAN," and commenters call her candidacy secretive and deceptive.
A second X channel similarly accuses Barr of trying to "slip" through the primary as a Democrat.
Despite such accusations, the AI tool Grok says Barr is being open about being a Democrat and about why she is running against Rep. Moore.
A story by Fox News, which is no friend to Democrats, points out Barr told the podcast she is being "dead honest" with voters about why she is running.
