North Carolina
North Carolina GOP focusing on 'hand-to-hand political combat' to ramp up ground game in battleground state
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Republicans are taking both a data-driven and hand-to-hand approach to target key voters in the battleground state whose electoral votes are historically decided by just a small fraction of people.
Republicans won North Carolina in the past three presidential elections, but the results have consistently come down to just a couple of thousand votes, with former President Trump winning by about 4% in 2016 and 1% in 2020. The last Democrat to win the state, former President Obama in 2008, won by less than 14,000 votes.
As Republicans ramp up their get out the vote efforts this cycle, leaders at the forefront of the movement told Fox News Digital that they are focusing their resources on encouraging early voting and delivering their message to the key 1% to 2% that could swing the election for either party.
Jason Simmons, chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, told Fox News Digital that there has been an “overwhelming” response to their knocking on doors and grassroots activism.
NC RALLYGOERS ‘PRAYING’ THAT TRUMP WINS, SLAM DEM RHETORIC CALLING HIM A ‘THREAT’ AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS
North Carolina Republican Party Chair Jason Simmons spoke with Fox News Digital about this cycle’s efforts to get out the vote. (Fox News Digital)
“We’ve been very engaged with all of our grassroots activists and have a very enthusiastic response. People are fired up. As I travel from one end of the state to the next, you see our Trump captains really engaging with the voters of North Carolina, taking the message of why it’s important in this year to go out more so than ever,” Simmons told Fox. “They’re out there every day knocking [on] doors, making phone calls, talking to the voters of North Carolina about the issues that matter most.”
Republicans in the state are also using data to help turn out the vote for residents who haven’t been engaged in voting in past elections.
TRUMP LEADS HARRIS IN CRUCIAL STATES GEORGIA, ARIZONA, NORTH CAROLINA, POLL FINDS
“It’s really drilling down into the data and identifying those voters that we know will vote our way, especially the low- to mid-propensity voters, by getting in front of them and talking to them about those issues that matter most to them and then encouraging them to make that plan and to go vote,” Simmons said.
After speaking with voters across the state, Simmons said the economy, inflation and the southern border are the issues of top concern among North Carolina voters.
Republicans are also investing in encouraging early voting this cycle, and according to Dallas Woodhouse, state director for a conservative training outfit, American Majority, the data reveals that more early voting would benefit the GOP in 2024.
“We have field teams out right now educating conservative voters about the importance of actually voting early, voting by mail in North Carolina, how it is safe to vote by mail. We’re trying to turn around some of the trends that were difficult for conservatives in 2020 and 2022,” Woodhouse said. “What we know is that the earlier you get the vote in, the more efficient it is for candidates, for parties. And if you wait till the last minute, you are at risk of illness and bad weather and your cost per vote goes way out.”
Woodhouse said that by Election Day, America Majority expects to have knocked on half a million doors in the state, reached a million voters by phone and a million and a half voters through text messages.
A canvasser for American Majority, a conservative training outfit, is shown in North Carolina. (Fox News Digital)
“All you can do is go out and fight every day, go out, push the message of free markets, limited government, strong national defense, and get people out to vote what they do from theirs up to them.”
Woodhouse added that the presidential race in North Carolina is going to be “razor-close to the end.”
“The fact is, North Carolina is razor-close. … So, voter by voter or house by house, that’s what you’re into: hand-to-hand political combat to get every single voter to the polls.”
Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor and the Republican gubernatorial candidate, recently came under fire after CNN published a report alleging that Robinson had previously made salacious comments, such as referring to himself as a “Black Nazi” on pornographic websites in the late 2000s. Just days later, his campaign released a statement that staff in various senior roles had stepped down.
Republican presidential nominee former President Trump speaks during a campaign event on Sept. 25, 2024, in Mint Hill, N.C. (Evan Vucci)
“It’s very unfortunate, and it’s disturbing, troubling, the remarks that we’ve seen and the allegations attributed to Mark Robinson,” Simmons told Fox of the recent controversy. “But ultimately, it’s up to him to go and talk to the voters of North Carolina and show them that these are not his words, his values. And we’ll continue to talk to the voters of North Carolina about those issues that matter most to them.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Both Trump and his Democrat opponent, Vice President Harris, have been campaigning throughout the Old North State with just weeks left until the highly anticipated presidential contest on Nov. 5.
North Carolina
North Carolina couple accused of causing vulture invasion sued by furious town: ‘Not good neighbors’
A North Carolina couple accused of luring hordes of vultures to their home and unleashing chaos on neighbors for years is being hauled to court by fed-up town officials desperate to end the feathered frenzy.
The Town of Hillsborough slapped residents Kenneth and Linda Ostrand with a civil petition, seeking a court order to shut down their relentless bird-feeding habit, blamed for allegedly drawing dozens of winged scavengers to their home and terrorizing their small town for the past two years.
“They’re a little spooky to be frank,” concerned neighbor Holden Richards told WTVD.
“Everybody thinks they’re ugly and stuff but they’re not good neighbors. They have sharp talons, so they’re not great animals to have perching on your house. I watched them pick tiles off my neighbor’s roof and I found tiles from my roof in my front yard, so I have a feeling that’s exactly where they came from.”
The bird-brained couple is accused of leaving out food scraps for vultures, allegedly reeling in the feathered predators that have swarmed and roosted near their house, leaving foul-smelling droppings on neighbors’ homes and vehicles and causing widespread property damage deemed a risk to public safety.
The complaint, filed in March, also claims the twisted pair named the birds of prey – with eerie photos submitted to the court showing dozens of vultures circling their Queens Street home, the outlet reported.
“I’m pretty sure that every one of my neighbors has probably called,” Richards said, pointing to a flood of complaints made to town officials since May 2024.
The Ostrands reportedly filed a motion to dismiss the town’s case last month, denying the accusations.
Linda Ostrand, a longtime wildlife rescuer, told WTVD she is being unfairly targeted by her community and claimed the circling creatures were already an issue before she moved into the neighborhood.
“It’s sort of, it’s ridiculous, is what it is,” Linda said, noting the town changed an ordinance after the initial wave of complaints to ban wildlife feeding beyond standard feeders.
“If people didn’t have vultures around here you would hear them screaming bloody murder about the town not cleaning up the animals that have been hit by cars, because that’s what they do, they are nature’s garbage disposal,” she continued.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, tell the vultures that this is a no-feed zone. I just don’t know.”
No court date has reportedly been scheduled for the couple’s fight with the town.
North Carolina
Businesses worry of potential impacts as Marion tightens water restrictions amid drought
MARION, N.C. (WLOS) — The City of Marion is tightening water restrictions as drought conditions persist across western North Carolina, prompting local businesses to prepare for possible impacts on daily operations.
The drought monitor released on Thursday, May 14, shows that extreme drought now covers 90% of western North Carolina.
ASHEVILLE IS MORE THAN 7 INCHES BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL THIS YEAR, DATA SHOWS
As the region continues moving into a hotter and drier pattern, the City of Marion officials announced Stage Two water shortage restrictions less than a month after issuing a Stage One Water Advisory.
Businesses in Marion said the quick escalation is raising concerns about what could come next if drought conditions persist.
“They put us in stage one at the end of April and already it’s not through, it’s not the end of May and they’re already putting us in stage two,” said Barbara Brown, owner of Bruce’s.
Under the Stage Two restrictions, watering lawns, gardens and golf courses will be prohibited. Washing cars, filling residential swimming pools and serving water in restaurants except upon request will not be allowed.
Brown said her restaurant is already taking steps to conserve water.
“We check the bathrooms often to make sure people have turned the water off because we have found from time to time, people leave them running,” she added.
She said she worries stronger restrictions could eventually force businesses to make bigger operational changes.
“I’m concerned that eventually we might have to go to paper plates, paper cups, silverware,” Brown said.
Other businesses are also considering adjustments.
Kat Garner, a tattoo artist at Blue Ridge Tattoo, said water shortages could affect how the shop operates day to day.
LEADERS URGE WATER CONSERVATION AS DROUGHT DEEPENS ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
“We would definitely be reduced to using distilled water for everything, which would become harder if everyone’s buying it out, so that would definitely make things a little bit more difficult,” Garner said.
The Stage Two water restrictions are set to begin Friday, May 15, at 8 a.m. and will last until further notice.
North Carolina
Police: North Carolina man charged after high-speed chase in Erie County, arrested in the Town of Perry
PERRY, N.Y. — A North Carolina man is in custody after a chase that started in Erie County and ended with an arrest in Perry.
Wyoming County Sheriff’s deputies say Ericson Vasquez-Moran, 22, rammed a Border Patrol vehicle in Erie County around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday before taking off. The suspect was spotted in Warsaw on Route 20A, but a chase was called off due to high speeds.
Then around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, deputies say Vasquez-Moran called 911 from Perry to surrender.
He’s charged with speeding, failure to keep right, unlawful fleeing a police officer, reckless driving, and reckless endangerment in the second degree.
Vasquez-Moran was given an appearance ticket for the Village of Warsaw Court and was released to the custody of the United States Border Patrol.
-
Technology3 minutes agoIs that traffic ticket text a scam or real?
-
Business9 minutes agoAltadena’s latest roadblock to rebuilding: Sewage
-
Entertainment15 minutes agoBreaking down Drake’s Temu haul of an album drop
-
Lifestyle21 minutes agoL.A. Affairs: He wanted to get kinky. But was his Madonna-whore complex a deal-breaker?
-
Politics27 minutes agoReport: Conditions at immigrant detention centers in California have worsened under Trump
-
Sports39 minutes agoPrep talk: Granada Hills coach Tom Harp goes for another boys’ volleyball title
-
World51 minutes agoSpanish row fuels north–south tensions ahead of tough EU budget talks
-
News1 hour agoWoman killed in Atlanta Beltline stabbing identified