TRUMP AND HARRIS BATTLE OVER NORTH CAROLINA SWING STATE’S MILITARY VOTE


By bblouin
Image of the North Carolina swing state.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris continue to appeal to voters in the waning days leading up to Election Day 2024. North Carolina is a swing state that continues to draw eyes, particularly in the military community. While the Tar Heel State has a strong military population among key counties for this election, there are feelings of being neglected both locally and nationally.

Is North Carolina a Swing State?

Yes, North Carolina is a swing state with several key counties holding significant influence over the 2024 election:

  • Wake County is the most populous in the state and provided a strong push for Biden in 2020. Democrats continue to push as growth in various urban areas trends in their favor.
  • Mecklenburg County has similar factors as Wake and is a battleground Democrats intend to win, after strong results in 2020.
  • However, in the 2020 election, Union County was won by Trump and Republicans are looking to do it again. Notably, this was Trump’s largest North Carolina county won in 2020, further amplifying its importance.
  • Robeson County has shown significant support for Trump in the past. Made up of rural areas within the state, voters showed Republican support in both 2016 and 2020.
  • Henderson County is a county under even more of a microscope this year, following the unfortunate impacts caused by Hurricane Helene, though it appears Trump has the edge.
  • Finally, Buncombe County is believed to lean towards supporting Harris in the 2024 election. This is still monitored following the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Helene, particularly, as the county is home to Asheville.

Appealing to the Military Community

With North Carolina being a swing state, it’s important for campaigns to appeal to a variety of voters in smaller geographical areas, particularly, within the military community.

However, Trump didn’t visit Fayetteville until October 2024, and considering the last time Kamala Harris was in town was to support President Biden’s initial run, there are plenty of voters who have not been given as much attention as they might like.

Trump held a town hall near Fort Liberty, covering a range of topics while appealing to military families.

Considering the causes of Veterans reach across party lines, how the Trump campaign is able to reach voters affected by these issues could be the key.

Military service is taking center stage this election, with both VP candidates, Walz and Vance, having served. Many North Carolina candidates are also Veterans with strong ties to the community, including former Army Capt. Shelane Etchison, who is running for Congress.

A Diverse, Important Voting Segment

Veterans have long influenced American politics, but things have changed. The traditional ways of voting are currently more varied, with age and race affecting political leanings.

In North Carolina, a swing state, where 10% of adults are military-affiliated, shifting Veteran votes could impact the close Harris-Trump presidential race.

However, Trump’s previous strong support from Veterans has shown signs of shifting.

While he won 61% of the Veteran votes in 2016, Biden narrowed this gap in 2020 and recent data shows Trump leading among older Veteran populations. In contrast, Harris appeals more to younger, active-duty service members.

Still, even with emerging trends among age groups, voters within North Carolina’s swing state demographics remain considerably diverse, making them incredibly valuable for both political parties.

North Carolina Swing State​ Military Residents Not Always Fully Heard

Political experts and voters are noticing that while North Carolina is a swing state with plenty of active-duty military members and Veterans, there seems to be a disconnect with both presidential campaigns.

Specifically, campaigns are missing their opportunity to resonate with voters on a variety of Veteran issues, despite rallies near bases.

Veterans in North Carolina are unfortunately twice as likely to commit suicide, while also facing higher rates of food insecurity and homelessness than civilians.

Furthermore, ongoing issues involving rural access to VA healthcare and continued complications involving the Camp Lejeune water contamination crisis weigh heavily on voters in the area.

Both administrations have had marquee legislation affecting Veterans, including the MISSION Act and the PACT Act; however, missed opportunities, such as overhauling the VA, are noted by critics.

Regardless of who anyone ends up voting for, it’s clear that North Carolina’s a battleground state still caught in a political war that is coming to an end, just not necessarily on the best of terms.

We are only days away but North Carolina swing state voters in the military community are sure to have a significant impact on the future leader of our nation—one way or another.

Suggested reads:

Sources:

Both Parties Try to Rally the Troops as Election Looms, CityView. Accessed October 2024. https://www.cityviewnc.com/stories/both-parties-try-to-rally-the-troops-as-election-looms/

These swing-state counties are key to understanding the presidential race, NPR. Accessed October 2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/10/27/nx-s1-5164527/swing-state-counties-election-harris-trump#north-carolina


CONNECT WITH US
VeteranLife Logo

©2024 VeteranLife. All rights reserved.