The Democratic National Convention begins Monday night, with President Joe Biden set to deliver a speech to a crowd of delegates in support of Vice President Kamala Harris.
"The last two weeks have been a blur of excitement," said Eva Lee, who serves as President of Wake County Senior Democrats.
Since Biden announced he would no longer seek the nomination , Democrats have largely noted a surge of enthusiasm, which is reflected in recent polling. Saturday, a poll from The New York Times and Siena College found Harris ahead of former President Donald Trump by two points in North Carolina, a figure within the margin of error, though a notable gain from prior polling between Trump and Biden.
"We can't just take anything for granted. (We) understand that the polls' numbers are increasing, (but) we have to make sure that what we're seeing is a trend, (and) they continue that upward mobility," said Rep. Valerie Foushee, who represents the state's Fourth District.
Foushee's district includes Duke, NC Central, and UNC-Chapel Hill. Democrats have made concerted efforts to drum up turnout amongst younger voters. According to a report from Tufts Tisch College , 55% of 18-29 year-olds in North Carolina voted in 2020, a rate five points higher than the national rate.
"This administration has already seen benefit in reducing debt and possible debt for college students who will be leaving universities and colleges soon," said Foushee.
Trump won North Carolina by just under 75,000 votes, or about 1.3% in 2020, his closest victory of the cycle. The thin margins, coupled with population trends, are amongst the reasons why Democrats have invested heavily in flipping the state from red to blue for the first time since 2008.
"In the last two weeks I have been on the ground in eight different counties, the most recent being last night in Person County at the Virginia border, doing postcards with senior Democrats," said Lee.
Senior citizens tend to vote at higher rates compared to the rest of the population and have historically supported Republicans. According to the US Census Bureau , voter turnout was highest amongst those 65 to 74 years old in 2020. A separate report from Pew Research found while registered voters younger than 50 favored Democrats, registered voters 50 and older preferred Republicans.
"The price of insulin being capped is a major help to seniors," said Lee.
Despite that rhetoric, the price of insulin was already capped under the Trump administration.
"North Carolinians, they don't want a candidate like Donald Trump who will put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block. Vice President Harris has vowed to protect and strengthen these lifeline programs," noted Kevin Munoz, a Senior Spokesperson with Harris for President.
Republicans have pushed back on these attacks, with the 2024 RNC Platform addressing it directly. In its platform , the party states it will "Fight for and Protect Social Security and Medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age."
Trump has found success in North Carolina by running up the margins with rural voters, overcoming Democrats relative strength in urban areas and smaller college towns. Reversing those trends has been a point of emphasis for North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton, who has emphasized increasing the presence in rural communities. Down-ballot work is underway to connect with those voters. In 2022, Democrats left more than 40 legislative seats uncontested, this year, they recruited candidates for all but two races.
"I have a background in sales. No one ever sold anything if it wasn't the third or fourth time that they'd talked to the prospect. We have to continually go and knock on their door, call them, talk to them, show them," said Tom Rothrock, President of Mecklenburg County Senior Democrats.
Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, North Carolina lawmakers passed new legislation to restrict access to abortion at 12 weeks, with longer periods in place for rape, incest, fetal abnormalities and if a mother's life is in danger.
"A lot of young people come to me and they'll say, 'Eric, I'm scared that I or my girlfriend or my mom or my sister are not able to get the reproductive health care that they need. And that's something that is really resonating with young voters in North Carolina," said Eric Willoughby, an 18-year-old from Huntersville who is the state's youngest delegate.
Lee pointed to her personal experiences when explaining why reproductive rights are a key issue to her.
"I have lost more pregnancies than you can count on one hand, and I cannot bear the thought of a woman dying in childbirth because we don't know where one state or another stands or whether they're going to cross state lines or whether their doctor is going to be criminalized," said Lee.
According to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll , 59% of voters said abortion was important to their vote, favoring Harris by 12 points. However, on the top two issues of importance to voters, the economy and inflation, voters preferred Trump by 9 points.
"We're going to talk about those kitchen table issues. Who's lowering costs? Who's creating jobs? Who is focused on uniting the country? And on every single one of those issues, we're going to be able to tell a story about what we are doing to make your life better while also drawing that fundamental contrast between us and MAGA Republicans," said Munoz.
In a statement, an NCGOP spokesperson criticized Harris' tenure as Vice President, writing:
"Over the next four days, you'll hear a lot about what Kamala Harris plans to do. However, the question you should be asking is, why hasn't she already done it as Vice President? Her top accomplishments are covering up Joe Biden's cognitive decline and helping force him off the ticket, opening the Southern border to over 10 million illegal immigrants, and igniting history inflation that's crippled the American dream for millions. Instead of telling us what she plans to do, just look at her record."
"I think that this is going to be a coming together," said Congresswoman Deborah Ross.
ABC11 also spoke with local delegates and elected officials as the DNC officially gaveled in on Monday night - which was headlined by remarks from Biden. Delegates on the floor described that same energy, saying they're riding the wave of enthusiasm around Harris and Tim Walz.
"This momentum for us, it's not just a moment. What we're seeing is real enthusiastic support for our candidate right now across the country," said John Easterling, a political lobbyist and delegate from Scotland County.
Easterling, who's attending his third Democratic National Convention, said that's largely the product of a younger voice now set to lead the party, and believes Harris will unlock new voters.
"Young girls from across the country who could remember seeing themselves in the White House now see themselves in her, whether those young girls who aspire to be doctors, physicians or leaders in our country can now see themselves as president," Easterling said.
The gaveling in of the 2024 DNC is the culmination of a rocky month in the Democratic ranks following discord around the best path forward in the wake of Biden's poor debate performance against Donald Trump in June. Congresswoman Deborah Ross, representing North Carolina's 2nd District, says she doesn't believe that will linger.
"I think that this is going to be a coming together. I think tonight is going to be a beautiful celebration of everything that President Biden has done for our people," Ross said.
The convention is also opening amid large-scale protests in Chicago around the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas War. Ross says that Democrats want to hear from all voices - and she's confident in their message.
"I don't see the protests as something that is going to slow down the Democratic Party. And the protesters know that the alternative is much worse," Ross said.
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