North Carolina
Trump looks to sharpen his edge on the economy in battleground North Carolina
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to cast his ballot for early voting in Florida’s primary election in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. August 14, 2024.
Marco Bello | Reuters
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump will paint a bleak picture of the U.S. economy in a speech Wednesday and blame it on the administration of his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It’s basically a speech on what’s going on with our economy. It’s gotten very bad under this group of people, with inflation, with the economy itself and so many other things,” Trump told reporters ahead of the speech, scheduled for 4 p.m. ET in Asheville, North Carolina.
The speech comes as Trump works to retool his campaign after President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection bid and endorsed Harris in late July.
As Harris has shot up in the polls, the solid lead Trump had over Biden has evaporated. But Trump still maintains his longstanding advantage over Democrats when it comes to which candidate voters believe would be best for the economy.
Earlier in the day, the Labor Department reported that the annual inflation rate had slowed in July to 2.9% year over year, its lowest level since 2021.
Trump’s political fortunes have benefited greatly over the past three years from the high inflation and high interest rates that have squeezed consumers. Polls show that a majority of voters believe the U.S. economy is in recession, for which they blame Biden.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks next to Vice President Kamala Harris as he delivers a statement a day after Republican challenger Donald Trump was shot at a campaign rally, during brief remarks at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 14, 2024.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
While attacking first Biden, and now Harris, over inflation has worked well for Trump on the campaign trail so far, new economic data risks blunting Trump’s attacks.
Since Harris replaced Biden, North Carolina has reemerged as a key battleground state that could be in play for Democrats. Trump won the Tar Heel State in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, but his polling advantage has recently shrunk.
Harris, fueled by new enthusiasm and hundreds of millions in donations, will come to the state Friday to deliver her own speech on the economy.
But it’s unclear if Trump will stick to the script at Wednesday’s event. Trump recently veered far off topic during his more-than-two-hour interview on X with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and during an hourlong news conference at his Florida resort home Mar-a-Lago.
Trump’s response to his new opponent has been in part to question her racial identity and crowd sizes, try to label her with an array of derisive nicknames and malign her intelligence.
Some of Trump’s allies have warned him to narrow his attacks to substantive policy differences or risk turning off more persuadable voters.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — A North Carolina advocacy group is celebrating what it calls a major win for communities concerned about pesticide exposure.
Toxic Free NC says the state’s Farm Act, passed on June 10, lacks a provision that would have shielded pesticide companies from certain legal challenges.
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The change could make it more difficult for people to take legal action against pesticide companies if they believed they were harmed by exposure.
After pushback from advocates and residents, the provision was removed.
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“If they’re not giving a warning that this might cause Parkinson’s or this might cause cancer and they use that pesticide, they should have a way redress that harm and to sue folks who may already known about the harm that that can cause,” said Alexis Luckey, executive director of Toxic Free NC.
Toxic Free NC says pesticide industry groups have pushed similar legislation in a dozen states across the country. North Carolina was one of several states where opponents successfully stopped the effort.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) — North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has declared June 14 as Flag Day.
Flag Day commemorates “Old Glory”, and is observed nationally. The day honors when the Continental Congress adopted the United States flag on June 14, 1777. North Carolinians are encouraged to fly the United States flag at full staff.
“Today, on the 249th birthday of our nation’s flag, we honor all those who have sacrificed for the freedoms it represents,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As North Carolinians, we can take special pride in being represented by both a star and a stripe. In this year of America 250, let us reaffirm our own commitment to a government of, by, and for the people.”
This year is the 249th anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777. The United States Congress declared June 14 as National Flag Day in 1949.
Longtime New Bern community leader Linda J. Staunch has received North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
Staunch was surprised with the award during the North Carolina Symphony’s Concert in Your Community Patriotic Pops event celebrating America 250 in New Bern. Former Gov. Beverly Perdue presented the award.
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary service and dedication to the state of North Carolina, according to a release.
According to the North Carolina Symphony, Staunch has been a trustee of the North Carolina Symphony Society since 2006 and served as the founding president of the Symphony’s Craven County Chapter.
In many respects, she is the face of the North Carolina Symphony in New Bern and across the region,” said Sandi Macdonald, president and CEO of the North Carolina Symphony. “The Symphony’s thriving presence in New Bern and throughout Craven and Jones counties would not exist without Mrs. Staunch’s vision and leadership.
Beyond her work in the arts, Staunch has been recognized for decades of service in education, community development, church leadership and civic organizations throughout eastern North Carolina.
An ambassador for the city, Linda is known for her tireless energy and integrity, making New Bern and Craven County a better place to live and work,” said Jeff Minges, president and CEO of Minges Bottling Group.
Staunch also played a key role in organizing New Bern’s 100th anniversary celebration of Pepsi-Cola in 1998 and has spent more than five decades serving First Presbyterian Church.
Linda Staunch is the very definition of an exemplary ambassador for the State of North Carolina,” said Rev. Anna Pinckney Straight, pastor of First Presbyterian Church.
She is widely regarded as the go-to person in New Bern — someone who brings people together, connects organizations, and gets things done,” Macdonald added.
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The award was presented during opening remarks before the concert, honoring Staunch’s lasting impact on New Bern, eastern North Carolina and the state of North Carolina.
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