North Carolina
Is North Carolina A ‘Fool’s Gold’ State For Kamala Harris – The Rhino Times of Greensboro
Anyone who lives in North Carolina knows very well from the ads on TV and on YouTube, from the three presidential political mailers that show up in their mailbox every day, and from the constant barrage of spam texts supporting either Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Kamala Harris – that both presidential candidates are taking North Carolina and its 16 electoral votes very, very, seriously this year.
In fact, in this extremely strange election year of 2024, North Carolina could easily be the determining factor as to who wins what is, by far and unquestionably, the most consequential election in the history of the United States of America.
During the 2024 campaign for president, both Trump and Harris have frequented North Carolina.
Trump stormed through the state recently, and the campaign just announced that his vice-presidential running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, is coming to Hoke County this week to speak to potential supporters.
The Rhino Times isn’t sure of the last time that a presidential campaign visited the southern North Carolina Hoke County town of Raeford, with its 4,559 residents, but the publication does know that that means the Trump campaign is worried about losing the state’s electoral votes to Harris.
But should the campaign really be worried at all?
It’s true that – thanks to a razor-thin margin of 14,000 votes that went to Obama in 2008 in his nationwide landslide “Hope and Change” campaign victory – North Carolina did fall to the Democrat.
Others point to the fact that the voters of this state like to elect Democratic governors, which is another log that adds fuel to the fire for those who believe the state could go to Harris; and, if that does happen, it would mean that Harris would almost certainly be the next president of the United States.
Another worry of the Trump campaign this year is the Mark Robinson Factor.
While Robinson was leading Democratic NC gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein not all that long ago, now Robinson is persona non grata, and a recent Morning Consult poll had him running behind contender Josh Stein by 22 points.
The fallout from the posts that, according to CNN, Robinson made on various porn sites, has been tremendous.
And while some Republicans still call the reports “fake news,” that set of Republicans clearly does not include Robinson’s top campaign staff (who resigned), Republican governors around the country (who withdrew their funding and endorsements), and Donald Trump (who now refuses to appear with Robinson at campaign events, will not mention Robinson’s name, and, when specifically asked about Robinson and the scandal, said, “I’m not familiar with the state of the race right now.”)
So, some Republicans are reasonably concerned that Robinson could create an “up-ballot effect” that may mean some number of Republicans don’t vote because they aren’t excited about their gubernatorial candidate.
But does any of it matter?
Many Republicans argue that Barack Obama’s 2008 razor-thin victory in the state is the exception that proves the rule – and that North Carolina, in the end, will this year, as it almost always has in modern history, end up being won by Republicans.
This was the subject of discussion on the highly popular “Hacks on Tap” podcast this week.
Political analyst David Axelrod said of the Harris campaign, “North Carolina is the second most rural state in the country and, you know, in this business you have to make judgments as to where you’re going to place your bet – because there are a lot of ‘fool’s gold’ states that seem like they’re in your reach, and you spend a lot of time and effort and money trying to win them. So, you know you have to make flinty-eyed judgments. Now Trump is making several appearances in North Carolina today so you know they understand.”
Nationally known political journalist John Heilemann, on that same podcast, said, “The Trump campaign looks worried about it, and you go to your ‘fool’s gold’ thing. David we both know, since Obama and 2012, Democrats have been chasing North Carolina fool’s gold… but if you look at where the Trump campaign is spending time and you look at where the Harris campaign is spending time, it feels like North Carolina is more of a target for Harris and more of a vulnerability – or a perceived vulnerability –for Trump.”
Former Rhino Times Editor John Hammer wrote recently in his Substack column “Hammer Down,” that there’s absolutely nothing for the Trump campaign to worry about when it comes to this state.
Hammer, in a piece called “North Carolina Doesn’t Swing,” made several interesting points.
“Here’s a little-known secret,” Hammer wrote. “North Carolina is not a swing state. If you look at the mainstream media, North Carolina is always listed as a swing state in presidential races. Vice President Kamala Harris can’t seem to stay away, hoping frequent visits will win the voters of the state over.”
He also noted that Trump and Vance always “appear to be camping out somewhere between Murphy and Manteo.”
But Hammer added this: “The truth is that North Carolina has been reliably Republican for over half a century. In the past 52 years, the state has voted Democrat twice – in 1976 for Jimmy Carter, from the neighboring state of Georgia, and in 2008, for Barack Obama, our first black president.”
Hammer also noted that Obama didn’t win the state four years later in 2012 and that even the very popular Bill Clinton never won the state. He also noted that Hillary Clinton didn’t win North Carolina in 2016 and Joe Biden didn’t win the state in 2020.
“Every four years the pundits say that the population in the state is changing and it can’t be considered a red state, and every year they are wrong,” Hammer wrote.
He added, “The people who understand North Carolina politics know that the state that elected Jesse Helms to the Senate five times is not likely to vote for a radical leftwing progressive for president.”
Trump supporters hope Hammer and many other pundits making the same arguments are correct – however, right now, Trump and his campaign staff don’t seem to share that confidence, which means that, over the next two weeks, Trump will continue his focus on the state.
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Saturday, June 27, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 27 drawing
03-16-28-30-59, Powerball: 11, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 27 drawing
Day: 7-6-8, Fireball: 2
Evening: 3-1-0, Fireball: 4
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 27 drawing
Day: 8-0-2-2, Fireball: 9
Evening: 8-1-5-3, Fireball: 0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from June 27 drawing
02-08-10-17-28
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from June 27 drawing
01-02-15-25-36
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 27 drawing
26-32-38-51-52, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
An AMBER Alert has been issued for a 15-year-old New Bern boy after police say he was abducted at gunpoint from a motel early Saturday morning.
According to the New Bern Police Department, officers responded around 3:15 a.m. to the Palace Motel, located at 1901 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., after receiving a report of a child abduction.
Police said two adults inside the motel room told officers they had been asleep with two boys — 15-year-old Isaiah Kavon Owens and 13-year-old Kenneth Brantley Jr. — when they were awakened by someone banging on the door.
According to investigators, Larry Tompkins opened the door and encountered multiple people, including Kenneth Lee Brantley Sr., the father of Kenneth Brantley Jr.
Police said Brantley pointed a gun at Tompkins before taking both boys from the room and leaving in a black 2012 GMC Yukon Denali XL with South Carolina license plate XFH752.
Authorities said Brantley may be traveling to his residence in Marion, South Carolina. A statewide BOLO (Be On the Lookout) has been issued for the vehicle.
The North Carolina Center for Missing Persons issued an AMBER Alert Friday morning at the request of the New Bern Police Department.
Isaiah is described as a Black male, 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing approximately 100 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a white hooded sweatshirt, black pants and red-and-blue sneakers.
Police said Isaiah is autistic and has a speech delay.
Investigators said arrest warrants have been obtained for Brantley charging him with the abduction and endangerment of Isaiah Owens.
The New Bern Police Department said it is working with local, state, out-of-state and federal law enforcement agencies to locate Isaiah and ensure his safe return.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the New Bern Police Department at 252-633-2020, their local law enforcement agency, or call 911 immediately.
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Authorities advise the public not to approach Brantley.
A man once given the nickname Cardiac Kemba due to his heart-stopping heroics at the University of Connecticut, Kemba Walker is back to breathe life into the 704’s youth basketball community.
The Charlotte Hornets’ legend officially opened the Kemba Walker Sports Academy in Concord, North Carolina this afternoon, a multi-sport facility just north of Charlotte that’s mission is “to provide a safe, fun, and inclusive environment for athletes to learn, grow, excel and compete.”
At a ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of the 54,000 square foot facility, Walker took some time to answer questions from assembled media about his latest venture that was created with community in mind.
“It’s really bigger than, you know, basketball,” said the Hornets’ all-time leading scorer this afternoon when talking about the academy. “We want the kids to have some discipline and really teach them how to work hard you know? That’s what we’re chasing. We’re chasing something that’s much bigger than the actual sport.”
It’s a bold vision, and one that Walker has dreamed of fulfilling since he was a kid suiting up for his childhood AAU program, the New York Gauchos.
“(The Gauchos’ facility) is probably not quite like this. It’s not as big as this. But that was my safe space, you know? That was the place I was able to go to, to enjoy the game of basketball and meet some of my closest friends that I still have to this day who actually run this place.”
Walker has been a pillar of the grassroots basketball community in Charlotte since he was a baby-faced, 20-something-year-old suiting up for the Bobcats. And even though he spent some time playing elsewhere in his professional basketball career, the four-time All-Star has considered the Queen City his domain since draft night.
“I never left, first of all” said Walker when asked about returning to the Hornets as an assistant coach and being able to now give back to the community that embraced him with open arms when he was drafted in 2011. “Obviously, I went to a couple of different teams and, you know, my path took me to a couple of different places, but I always kept my house here, and my family was always here, and whenever I had time in the summer, something like that, I was always here.”
“But it is amazing to be back. I love Charlotte.”
And Charlotte loves him back.
Walker stamped his name in the franchise record books with a successful career on the court, but he forever endeared himself into the community by embracing the basketball-crazed city he didn’t have a single tie to until he was drafted there.
The Kemba Walker Sports Academy will host its first grassroots basketball event this weekend, the Kemba Walker Invitational, where AAU teams from across the country (including Walker’s own New York Gauchos) will convene in Concord to christen the facility.
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