In the parking lot of a Winterville sports complex, where parents flock to watch their child’s baseball game, a half-dozen volunteers are gathered around Anderson Clayton. The dynamic boss of the North Carolina Democratic Party came to encourage them before they knocked on the doors of this small rural town located in the east of the state, where early voting has been in full swing since October.
At 26, the party’s youngest state anchor has a dream: to ensure that North Carolina elects a Democrat to the presidency for the first time since Barack Obama in 2008. Of the seven ” swing states » at stake this year, « the tar heels state », named as a large bitumen producer, is the only one to have voted for Donald Trump in 2020. The billionaire won by around 70,000 votes against Joe Biden. If Kamala Harris wins her sixteen electoral votes in November, she would make a big leap towards the White House.
Field key
For Anderson Clayton, who grew up rural, the countryside is the key to success. “ The majority of Republicans live in these places. In recent years, they have increased their electoral margin because many Democrats did not turn out to vote. Our goal is not to impose ourselves in the countryside, but to reduce the gap. So far, there is only one side talking to these votersshe said. The energy generated by Kamala Harris opened the doors to voters worried about the fate of democracy and freedoms ».
This strategy makes sense in North Carolina, where rural counties are in the majority (80 out of 100). In recent weeks, small towns in the east of the state have received visits from Kamala Harris and several party leaders, including Bill Clinton. The vice president’s campaign also opened offices in the region to organize volunteers and conduct door-to-door canvassing.
Pragmatist bonus
In Wilson, a small town known for its wind-activated sculptures, volunteers from the Down Home association, which specializes in mobilizing the rural electorate around Democratic candidates, are organizing in a brewery. Isra Allison, in charge of the NGO’s political operations, is confident. “ Democrats can win over these voters by providing concrete solutions to their daily concerns, on health, security, the economy… and not make plans on the comet ».
For four years, the Biden administration has tried to address the divide between cities and farms. A major 2021 law on infrastructure modernization has unlocked significant investments in the development of high-speed internet, among others.
Quit or double
John, a resident of Wilson who did not wish to give his name, will, however, vote for Trump for the first time. “ The only thing that matters to me is the fight against heroin and other drugs that kill us more than car accidents. I don’t trust Kamala Harris to solve this problem ».
In Rocky Mount, another rural town about thirty minutes away, the campaign room opened by the Democrats in August is teeming with little hands. An independent voter who has voted Republican in the past, Loren Ota is leaning toward vice president this year. “ Trump’s priorityhe believes, is not to solve the problems of its citizens. »
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