As a battleground state with 16 electoral votes up for grabs, North Carolina has been a popular campaign stop for both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris leading up to Election Day.
Trump, who was campaigning in North Carolina on both Sunday and Monday, is seeking to court voters in a state that he barely won four years ago by less than 75,000 votes. But recent polling conducted by The New York Times and Siena College shows Harris with a slight advantage among likely voters in the Tar Heel State.
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Harris, meanwhile, has also dedicated a lot of time campaigning in North Carolina and remains confident it's a state that Democrats can flip in 2024. On Monday, First Lady Jill Biden was rallying in North Carolina on Harris' behalf, seeking to drum up some last-minute support before voters head to the polls.
Scripps News spoke with voters on the ground in North Carolina to get a better idea of what the political climate is like heading into Election Day. We heard concerns regarding everything from the future of the U.S. economy to the threats of political extremism.
"I've been very pleasantly surprised about how much she — in this moment — knows that, I truly believe she wants to bring the country together and seize kind of the divisiveness we've had and how far-right and extreme the Republican party has been," said Harris supporter Scott Peoples. "So she has been, you know, kind of those, they call them Nikki Haley voters. She's kind of extended her arms way more than Donald Trump has to those moderate, center-right type voters."
One Trump supporter, however, told Scripps News that inflation and high cost of living are their biggest concerns.
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"As someone in Gen Z, I've seen lots of stuff online about how everyone is scared for our job market, for inflation, and just looking at gas prices, looking at anything you want in the grocery store, " the person, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Scripps News. "I went to the grocery store for four things yesterday — $95. Obscene. I am 20 years old. I can't afford that. I'm in school, alright, I work part time but that's not enough for anyone, especially single parents, single moms and dads. They're not going to be able to afford everything. You know, even if you do have a joint family income, can you still afford everything? So, it's scary to continue growing up in this environment."
And despite all the attention North Carolina has received this election cycle, it doesn't appear voters are losing interest, as election officials have already reported a record number of ballots cast ahead of Election Day.
In 2020, a record 3.6 million people in North Carolina voted during the early-voting period. Four years later and the state has exceeded that number, with officials counting more than 4.2 million ballots cast as of Sunday.
