Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Democracy's favorite trouble-maker, organizer and political candidate Kate Barr makes the case that gerrymandering, not polarization, is the hidden problem breaking American democracy. With only 19% of state legislative districts truly competitive, she argues, most voters live in “unwinnable” districts where politicians choose their voters, not the other way around. The result: extremists win primaries, moderates tune out, and widely popular policies never see daylight.
Drawing on a vivid case study from North Carolina, Barr shows how extreme maps helped decide control of Congress and how running honest, local “losing” candidates can turn those same districts into engines of change. She introduces the Can’t Win Victory Fund and tools like Moxy, an AI-based messaging lab that helps ordinary people run smarter campaigns in ignored districts.
To protest gerrymandering, Kate, a Democrat, is currently running as a Republican in a bid for a US House seat in North Carolina.
📍 Recorded Live at PopTech 2025: Enigma in Washington DC
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Democracy's favorite trouble-maker, organizer and political candidate Kate Barr makes the case that gerrymandering, not polarization, is the hidden problem breaking American democracy. With only 19% of state legislative districts truly competitive, she argues, most voters live in “unwinnable” districts where politicians choose their voters, not the other way around. The result: extremists win primaries, moderates tune out, and widely popular policies never see daylight.
Drawing on a vivid case study from North Carolina, Barr shows how extreme maps helped decide control of Congress and how running honest, local “losing” candidates can turn those same districts into engines of change. She introduces the Can’t Win Victory Fund and tools like Moxy, an AI-based messaging lab that helps ordinary people run smarter campaigns in ignored districts.
To protest gerrymandering, Kate, a Democrat, is currently running as a Republican in a bid for a US House seat in North Carolina.
📍 Recorded Live at PopTech 2025: Enigma in Washington DC
Connect with PopTech:
- Subscribe to the newsletter: secure.everyaction.com/NrEjNdZeJUmtPHfFdG7T2w2
- Become a member: secure.everyaction.com/5pq8tk-XDkikKDXnU-c_gw2
- Explore timeless content on the PopTech YouTube Channel: youtube.com/poptech
