GREENSBORO, N.C. — A vendor at the North Carolina Republican Party Convention in Greensboro has turned his love for politics, history and art into a business. 

What You Need To Know

  • The North Carolina GOP convention in Greensboro is the largest the party has had in the state, organizers say

  • More than 70 vendors and 1,800 people are attending the event

  • The convention, which featured top GOP presidential candidates, wraps up Sunday

Brandon Saxton came from Ohio to sell this weekend at the GOP event, which organizers say is the party's largest convention in the state, with more than 1,800 in attendance and 70-plus vendors.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke Friday, and former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence addressed the gathering Saturday. 

It's not Saxton's first time at an N.C. GOP gathering though — he came in 2021.

“I think that was the first time Trump made a public appearance since leaving office," Saxton said. "We heard that President Trump and DeSantis and Mike Pence were coming, and we wanted to come again and sell items.” 

Saxton, his wife and his parents came down from Marion, Ohio.

“So, I like to take my interest in history and politics and blend it with art,” Saxton said.

The things he’s selling are items that he has either collected or that he or his wife — both graphic designers — have made.

“Like pin-back buttons for all various candidates, whether it's President Trump, Gov. DeSantis, Vice President Pence, even like, you know, Ambassador Nikki Haley. We just, obviously, we believe in freedom and we're entrepreneurs, so we just like to have a variety and something for everybody,” Saxton said.

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Saxton started at a young age collecting political items, learning it from his father.

“These are just duplicate items that I already have in my collection," Saxton said. "So yeah, I wanted to share them with other people so they can enjoy."

But his love for politics and history is the reason he started the business, wanting to share that passion with others.

“Think it's just a great symbolic way to support the candidate of your choice. But it's also a piece of history, really, if you think about it. Like you can see here, there's Reagan, Eisenhower, Nixon, you know, the current Trump, DeSantis, Pence. Eventually they'll be historical items worth money as well,” Saxton said.

The convention continues through Sunday afternoon.