Shortly after a fierce debate, Vice President Kamala Harris was quick to retreat to the safety of the campaign trail, perhaps to recuperate from the reality of meeting Donald Trump in person for the first time. North Carolina, a steadfast Republican bastion having leaned red for the past three elections, was strangely featured on her aspiringly titled ‘New Way Forward’ tour, raising questions about the efficacy of her visit.
Two rallies were chalked out for the day – an afternoon spectacle in Charlotte, followed by a twilight event in Greensboro. Donning a face of determination, she attempted to defy the odds and turn the tide in a state where the appeal of democratic policies has been historically weak.
In Greensboro, a gathering of thousands found its way into the Coliseum Complex main arena, a sight reminiscent less of a political symposium and more of an overhyped concert. Light-up bracelets flashed coordinated colors across a crowd that seemed more enthralled by the spectacle than the political agenda being served.
Before Harris made her entrance, the Brothers Osborne had already worked the crowd, with music echoing around the enigmatic stadium. Governor Roy Cooper made an appearance, declaring his steadfast support for Harris, while cautiously highlighting that not everything she stands for may align with the beliefs of the attendees.
When Harris finally had her moment in the spotlight, she wasted precious minutes dwelling on her experiences in the debate with Trump before transitioning to a plea for a second round. It was interesting to note that these reflections constituted the foundation of her speech, arguably an attempt to steer clear of substantive, relevant discussion.
Attempting to lure the middle class, she moved on to outline her so-called opportunity economy plan, featuring a seemingly generous $50,000 tax deduction for start-up businesses. However, one couldn’t help but wonder if such an offering would be sufficient to appease the concerns of an increasingly skeptical middle class.
Ambitiously, she expressed hopes of passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and a questionable ban on assault weapons if voted into office. Harris’ insistence on such a ban, despite widespread concern about infringements on Second Amendment rights, appears to be a divisive and potentially fatal strategy.
In a bid to muster support for her party, she endorsed Democratic candidate Josh Stein for North Carolina’s next governor. Yet, the conversation soon spiraled back to fears of a dystopian landscape, a world with an unconstrained Donald Trump, seemingly implying this fear should be the driving force of the ballot box.
She concluded her address by labelling herself the ‘underdog’, perhaps attempting to drum up sympathy from the crowd. Hard work, she asserted, was a characteristic they admired, an oversimplified conclusion considering the complex, critical thinking employed by voters.
This was Harris’ 17th stop in North Carolina, reflecting a desperate insistence to gain traction in a state that had consistently preferred her adversary, President Joe Biden’s cohort. Other members of her team, including her husband Doug Emhoff, and Gwen Walz, Biden’s wife’s running mate, also made recent stops.
During a previous North Carolina visit, Harris chose to release her economic plan – a compilation of arguably rash measures including tax cuts favoring the middle class and a $25,000 upfront facility for first-time homebuyers. It also featured unsustainable promises such as rent controls, capping insulin prices universally at $35, and a bizarrely targeted federal ban on grocery price-gouging.
Democrats are persistently trying to swing the state blue, mistakenly believing they can utilize population and diversity growth as an advantage. An unverified enthusiasm attributed to Harris appeared to drive this wildly optimistic campaign plan.
Republicans, on the other hand, are carefully working to uphold their rich history of securing the majority vote in North Carolina. Their emphasis on policy and voters’ rights reflect the sincerity and dedication that the state’s constituents appreciate.
Trump’s victory in the state by a mere 1.3 percentage points in 2020 could be seen as a close call, but it also highlights the resilience of the Republican stand against the grain of demographic trends and industry-funded polling.
Polls by FiveThirtyEight suggest a neck and neck race, but one shouldn’t overlook that polls have historically underplayed the strength of the Republican vote. With the realities of 2016 and 2020 fresh for those who follow politics, predictions should take these realities into consideration.
While the Democrats and VP Harris continue to pin their desperate hopes on North Carolina, the populace’s rock-solid history of voting for substance over spectacle remains undeterred. As the campaign carries on, it’s increasingly clear that the residents’ political discernment and wisdom are not as easily swayed as some might hope.