Democrat Kate Barr is switching her party affiliation in order to challenge U.S. Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC) in the upcoming primary. 

The Washington Examiner reports that Barr confirmed the switch to the outlet.

This comes after Barr's failed 2024 campaign for a state senate seat.

Political plot twist in Charlotte — Kate Barr, once a Democrat, is now running as a Republican against Tim Moore for Congress. 👀
#ncpol #clt #politics #Congress pic.twitter.com/Dq2tKro5MT

— QC TLK NEWS (@QCTLKNews) November 9, 2025

"This is about . . ."

According to the Examiner, Barr is making the switch for a couple reasons, including that she believes it will give her a better chance of winning.

The outlet reports:

Kate Barr, who ran an intentionally-hopeless state senate campaign in 2024 to highlight gerrymandering in her state, is switching to the Republican Party to have a better shot at beating Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC) in a primary. She says she's not compromising her values, but she wants voters to have a choice.

The Examiner goes on to directly quote Barr.

She told the outlet:

This is about holding corrupt leaders accountable, no matter what letter they have next to their name. I’m not pretending that I suddenly woke up a Republican. I’m the same person I’ve always been. My values haven’t changed. My message hasn’t changed. Voters deserve to have their voices heard. Full stop.

We'll have to see whether she has better luck here than she did in 2024.

Background

As mentioned, Barr, in part, is switching parties in an effort to highlight gerrymandering that is taking place in her state.

The Charlotte Observer reports:

The state’s Republican-dominated General Assembly passed a new map in October that’s expected to pick up another seat for the GOP in Congress. It’s part of a national trend following a call from President Donald Trump for more favorable maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Advocacy groups including Common Cause and the NAACP are suing to block the new North Carolina map alleging it discriminates against Black voters and illegally retaliates against the affected district.

What the outlet fails to highlight is the fact that Republicans, here, are attempting to fight fire with fire.

Democrat-run states, such as California, are passing their own maps, which pick up more than just one congressional seat.

Barr is claiming that, if she gets elected to Congress, she will work to pass legislation placing a federal ban on what she's referring to as "partisan gerrymandering."