DeViere: Personal touch, not money, key to close race

In NC 17, Kirk DeViere claimed victory and cited knocking on doors over television ads for his success.
Posted 11/7/2018, 4:10:14 AM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:53:22 PM

>> GREAT.

TO HEAR FROM THE FORMER

GOVERNOR.

GILBERT BAEZ IS STANDING BY

LIVE WITH THE DEMOCRAT WHO HAS

A WIN TONIGHT.

>> Reporter: THERE HAS BEEN A

LOT OF CARRYING ON HERE A FEW

SECONDS AGO.

KIRK DEVIERE THE NEW STATE

SENATOR FOR DISTRICT 19. YOU

WERE STANDING OVER THERE ABOUT

HALF AN HOUR.

>> YES AND IT FELT ABOUT THREE

HOURS LONG.

>> YOU'VE BEEN A WINNER AND A

LOSER. RUNNING FOR MAYOR AND

CITY COUNCIL, YOU HAVE A WON

TWICE AND LOST TWICE, THIS ONE

MUST BE PRETTY SWEET.

>> YES.

THE PEOPLE WE MET ALONG THE WAY

HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE.

WHEN YOU ARE THE UNDERDOG AND

MANY PEOPLE DON'T THINK YOU

WILL GET TO THIS POSITION, THIS

IS A VERY SPECIAL VICTORY.

>> Reporter: THERE IS BEEN MORE

THAN $2 MILLION SPENT ON THIS

RACE BETWEEN THE TWO CAMPAIGNS.

SOME OF THE ADS WERE EXTREMELY

NASTY. YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WE MADE A DELIBERATE

DECISION EARLY ON THAT THIS

CAMPAIGN WAS ABOUT PEOPLE AND

REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE AND

ISSUES AND THE EVERYDAY LIVES

OF PEOPLE AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

WE WANTED TO STICK TO THAT. THE

MONEY THAT CAME IN THE RACE, IT

WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE RACE AND

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS

KNOCKING ON DOORS AND MAKING

PHONE CALLS THAT I BELIEVE

TURNED THE SELECTION. WHEN YOU

HAVE AN ELECTION THAT IS THIS

CLOSE AND THEY ARE EXCITED TO

COME OUT AND SEE A CHANGE, IT

DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY

YOU SPEND. I WAS OUTSPENT 3 TO 1

.

>> Reporter: I KNOW YOU HAVE