Karmin Grider
Politics and athletics are not too different for Karmin Grider.
Her need for a chiropractor is telling. Grider, 32, is a candidate for Oklahoma House District 31. After entering the race two years ago and losing to Garry Mize, Grider has been involved in her campaign early and often.
She started her campaign last July and calculates she has knocked on over 8,700 doors in Logan County.
“I usually head out around 11 a.m. and I doorknock until dark,” Grider said. “I go until I need a day off. And then I go again.”
Grider, a basketball and track athlete in highschool, played basketball, soccer and volleyball in college at Southwest Christian University. She has visited neighborhoods steadily since last summer, working even on weekends.
“I did a lot of two a days in college, and some pretty intense practices in high school…I’m kind of used to that,” Grider said. “Campaigning is really no different in a sense of mental discipline. At least in the way I had decided to do it, which is very much door knocking.”
She is competitive and wants to put her conservative Christian principles on display. Her record for knocking on doors and meeting people in a day is 118.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Grider said. “I’ve met just a ton of great people.”
Sometimes conversations will be a few minutes, but Grider has talked with some constituents for upwards of an hour and a half. She is running against Collin Duel and Logan Trainer, two other republicans who have similar conservative viewpoints. Meeting people is Grider’s strategy to separate herself.
“When I’m at the doors I’m focused on that person,” Grider said. “I’m not thinking about the next house or the house before.”
Grider developed an affinity for politics when watching the 1996 presidential election as a kid with her family. Grider started cheering for the blue states because blue was her favorite color before being gently reprimanded by her dad that their family was supporting the red states.
When her parents led her to bed as coverage of the election wrapped up, Grider realized the blue states would indeed win.
“Inside, my spirit just sank,” Grider said. “I never forgot that. It stuck out to me.”
Growing up, she said she usually had a football in her hand. When she has not been campaigning, Grider has been a coach and camp counselor. She enjoys playing games with kids.
“There’s something about sports that I love,” Grider said. “It also transcends sports. As an athlete, the way to win is by the rules and using creativity.”