Source:The Hill
As we inch closer to 2024, North Carolina is emerging as a key battleground for the upcoming elections. With an ever-changing demographic, and the possibility of another round of Republican-leaning congressional maps, North Carolina has become one of the most competitive battleground states.
According to The Hill, Democrats are viewing the state as a potential opportunity to flip in the presidential election. For years, North Carolina has hosted some of the closest races up and down the ballot, particularly with presidential, gubernatorial and senatorial candidates winning by small margins.
2020 marked the biggest example of candidates winning by small margins, as Biden lost the Tar Heel state to Donald Trump by just 1.4 percent. With such a close race, Democrats and Biden are hoping to invest in the state and develop an effective campaign structure.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris have a strong record that resonates with North Carolinians and will mobilize the voters we need to win in 2024, including creating thousands of jobs, lowering costs for families, and fighting against MAGA extremist abortion bans,” Kevin Munoz, President Biden’s campaign spokesperson, told Politico. “We fully expect North Carolina to be competitive, and plan to run an aggressive and winning campaign that builds on our significant investments throughout the state.”
Advocates and candidates have already shared advice for political observers looking into North Carolina, stating that the presidential race needs to invest not only in the urban cities, but the rural parts of the state.
“There are a lot of disengaged voters who are not showing up at the polls who could change the outcome of slim 1-to-3-percentage-margin victories,” Cynthia Wallace, the co-founder of a nonprofit called the New Rural Project, told The Hill. “You cannot change the trajectory of who gets elected without changing the trajectory of rural North Carolina.”
Since launching their campaign, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have made several appearances in the state, including visiting Rocky Mount and Fort Liberty to discuss job opportunities and initiatives to help service members.
Last month, VP Harris visited North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, America’s largest HBCU, to uplift reproductive freedom, student loans, and discuss young North Carolinians voting power.
