North Carolina
Biden-Harris campaign planning a flurry of activity in NC during debate week • NC Newsline
Since their advent in 1960, modern televised presidential debates have always taken place in the latter days of the campaign — usually in October.
This year, things will be very different. The first of two debates between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will take place this Thursday, June 27 in Atlanta — in the heat of summer and prior even to the formal party nominations that each man will receive in July (Trump) and August (Biden). A second earlier-than-usual debate is currently scheduled for Tuesday, September 10.
And in keeping with what has clearly been an all-out effort by the Biden-Harris campaign to capitalize on the momentum it senses it has gathered in the aftermath of Trump’s conviction in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payoff to a porn star, North Carolina — a state that Trump won handily in 2016 and narrowly in 2020 — has risen to become priority for the Democratic ticket in 2024.
It’s already been widely reported that President and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to the Raleigh area on Friday as one of their first stops after the debate, but Newsline has learned that the Friday appearance will actually serve as the culmination of a week of intense campaign activity in the state — one that commenced last Friday with an event highlighting the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling that ended the constitutional right to abortion and continued on Sunday with the opening of a Raleigh campaign office.
Among the events scheduled in the coming days, according to a campaign representative:
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Monday, June 24: Dobbs Anniversary Press Conference with U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, Congresswoman Alma Adams, and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles: On the day of the anniversary of the Dobbs decision, U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Congresswoman Alma Adams, and State Representative Diamond Staton-Williams will join local leaders, health care providers and storytellers to campaign for President Biden and Vice President Harris and underscore the threat a second Donald Trump term poses to North Carolinians’ reproductive freedoms.
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Tuesday, June 25: Dobbs Anniversary Roundtable with State Representative Lindsay Prather, former State Senator Terry Van Duyn, storytellers, advocates and providers: North Carolina elected officials, providers, and advocates will hold a roundtable discussion to underscore the importance of this election in determining our reproductive freedoms.
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Tuesday, June 25: Campaign Reception in Charlotte with First Lady Jill Biden: Ahead of the debate and a rally in Raleigh with President Joe Biden, the First Lady will attend a campaign reception in Charlotte.
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Wednesday, June 26: Pre-debate press call with economists and business leaders about Trump’s threat to our economy: Economists and business leaders from across the state will hold a press call focused on the contrast between President Biden’s delivering for working and middle class families across North Carolina, ushering in the strongest economy in the world and bringing unemployment to historic lows, with Donald Trump’s push to slash taxes for his billionaire friends and large corporations.
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Thursday, June 27: Debate Watch Parties across North Carolina: The campaign will host 24 watch parties across the state with over 1000 attendees – with countless other North Carolinians hosting watch parties in their homes. Watch parties will serve as a way to fire up volunteers and demonstrate to voters the stark contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
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Friday, June 28: Immediately following the debate, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to North Carolina for a rally in the Raleigh area.
The representative told Newsline the campaign will also host more than 150 events across the state next weekend — canvass launches, phonebanks, volunteer trainings, and other events — leading up to Friday’s presidential visit.
CBS reports that Donald Trump, who has not campaigned in North Carolina since severe weather scuttled a planned Wilmington rally in April, has announced that his first post-debate campaign event will take place somewhere in the Virginia Beach-Hampton Roads region of Virginia — an area that is accessible to many residents of northeastern North Carolina.
The North Carolina Tar Heels will be a young program across the board next season, with well over two dozen freshmen and numerous additions from the transfer portal this offseason. Expectations for the 2026 season are lowered dramatically after a disastrous first season for head coach Bill Belichick, though those expectations could help the Tar Heels fly under the radar.
As the Tar Heels approach the end of spring ball, it is time to look at the veterans of the team—the ones who have the experience to lead, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s look at three underrated seniors for the 2026 football season.
Ade Willie, Cornerback
Willie joins the Tar Heels program after four years with Michigan State, as the former 4-star player in the 2022 recruiting class gets an opportunity to not only provide depth to the secondary, but potentially start Week 0 against TCU.
Willie played in over 30 games with the Spartans and brings experience in the secondary at cornerback and safety, along with quality length and closing speed to the football. For a defense that needs players to step up, the redshirt senior from IMG Academy will be asked to do so.
Isaiah Johnson, Defensive Lineman
The defensive line is beginning to look like one of the Tar Heels’ strengths for the 2026 season. Johnson, a former transfer from Arizona, enters his redshirt senior year looking to add another year of production after 40 tackles and two sacks this past season.
North Carolina has an impressive group of starters with Malkart Abou-Jaoude, Leroy Jackson, and incoming transfer Jaylen Harvey. Johnson adds value to the group as a run defender with the ability to penetrate the pocket. While not discussed as a key player, Johnson’s name will be used plenty during the regular season as a potential standout for the program’s defensive front.
Coleman Bryson, Safety
Bryson was a reserve player for the Tar Heels’ secondary last season as a big nickel defender in the rotation. Heading into his redshirt senior year, the former Minnesota Gopher is looking to become a full-time starter in the secondary.
It wasn’t long ago when Bryson was making plays as the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl Defensive MVP. His special teams abilities were valuable for North Carolina last season, and he flashed at times in coverage against tight ends, including a pass breakup in the season-opener against TCU. The Waynesville, North Carolina, native could be a key defender on the back-seven in 2026.
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Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
Posted
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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