North Carolina could be key to President Donald Trump’s path to victory this fall, and already he is devoting a lot of time and attention to the state.
His campaign recently announced he will hold a rally in Charlotte the night before North Carolina’s primary. The Tar Heel state votes on Super Tuesday, meaning that the campaign picked North Carolina over other key Super Tuesday states like Texas as the place to make that last minute pitch.
This upcoming visit comes just weeks after the president stopped in Charlotte to promote opportunity zones. His son Eric also recently paid a visit to Mecklenburg County for a “Make American Great Again Meet-up.”
All of this attention comes months before the general election.
Elon University Professor Jason Husser, who oversees the school’s poll, says that while there are paths to 270 Electoral College votes for the Trump campaign without North Carolina, it can get “really dicey” if the Tar Heel state is not in the president’s column. (To win the White House, a president needs to earn 270 Electoral votes.)
Broadly speaking, Husser says North Carolina’s unique purple political make-up - with a mix of hardcore Republicans and hardcore Democrats - replicates the terrain Mr. Trump’s campaign will encounter across the country.
“If he has a message that works in North Carolina, it probably also works in Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, and all these other places that he needs to win,” he said.
In short, the president’s upcoming visit is likely only the beginning of a jam-packed 2020.
U.S. Senate Race Generates Attention
It is not just the presidential race putting North Carolina in the spotlight.
The state’s U.S. Senate race, which could impact the scope and balance of power on Capitol Hill, is also getting attention from the White House and national Republicans alike.
Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, is up for reelection. Sabato's Crystal Ball currently lists the race as a "toss-up."
Republicans currently control the Senate with 53 members, meaning Democrats need to pick off four seats to gain a majority. Though, as Husser pointed out, even if Democrats only pick up one or two seats, it will give Republicans a smaller margin of error on key legislation.
Mr. Trump recently made use of his biggest platform - the State of the Union address - to mention Tillis, naming him directly. During the speech, Mr. Trump praised legislation Tillis introduced last summer.
“Sen. Thom Tillis has introduced legislation to allow Americans ... to sue sanctuary cities and states when a loved one is hurt or killed as a result of these deadly practices,” Mr. Trump said from the podium in the House chamber.
Mark Rom, who teaches politics at Georgetown University’s McCourt School, said the fates of Mr. Trump and Sen. Tillis could very well be linked in November.
“This is going to be a highly nationalized election,” he said. “If Trump wins the vote in North Carolina, Tillis will probably be re-elected.”
Tillis has embraced the president as part of his campaign.