North Carolina at the RNC: What do Trump, Vance picks mean for the state and country?

Joel Burgess, Asheville Citizen Times
·3 min read
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (NC) speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention. The RNC kicked off the first day of the convention with the roll call vote of the states.
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (NC) speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention. The RNC kicked off the first day of the convention with the roll call vote of the states.
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"The road to the White House runs directly through North Carolina," was a line that has been used by the state's Republican gubernatorial candidate, who spoke July 15 on his party's biggest stage.

N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has become known for extreme rhetoric used in his race against Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, including his statement in a church that "some folks need killin.'" But speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, he kept a lid on eye-popping statements, instead leaning on a personal story of struggle and achievement.

The effect of Robinson's performance — or the convention's biggest news: Trump's nomination and pick of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance for running mate — remains to be seen. And the nation's eyes will be watching as the campaigns battle for the support of N.C.'s swing state voters.

Latest polling: Trump has edge over Biden in NC

The latest polling shows purple N.C. favoring Trump by 5% over Democratic President Joe Biden, though the counts were conducted before the July 13 assassination attempt against the former president and his choice of Vance for vice president. And there's still four months of political ups and downs that can cause voter shifts.

Here's a sampling of what North Carolinians said about Trump's nomination, Vance's ascendance and other aspects of the convention:

  • Mark Robinson: The GOP gubernatorial candidate talked about growing up poor, the ninth of 10 children with an abusive and alcoholic father, and also of being laid off from a job. “But there is hope. And I am proof. My wife and I never gave up,” Robinson said. “We kept our faith; we worked hard and made it through those tough times. Now I stand before you on the verge of becoming the first Black governor of North Carolina.”

Michele Woodhouse
Michele Woodhouse

  • Michele Woodhouse, 11th N.C. District GOP chair: The leader of the party entity covering the state's most westerly congressional district, including liberal Asheville and conservative rural counties, is attending the convention. She called Vance "a tremendous choice," despite the Ohio senator at one time worrying Trump would be "America's Hitler." "The youngest VP candidate in decades. I will take J.D. Vance at his word when he states that Trump's policies and leadership as the 45th POTUS changed his mind. I am already hearing from young voters they are thrilled about this selection, and it solidifies their vote for Trump (and) Vance in November."

  • Dory MacMillan, spokesperson for the N.C. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris campaign: "Under Donald Trump, N.C. lost nearly 9,000 manufacturing jobs, and once Joe Biden was elected, he helped bring our state back, overseeing the creation of more than 400,000 new jobs, including 12,400 manufacturing jobs since taking office." MacMillan said Robinson and Trump are "pushing the same extreme MAGA agenda" taking away rights, reducing health care "and our access to good-paying jobs President Biden created."

  • Chris Cooper, Western Carolina University political science professor: the author of the soon-to-be-released book "Purple State," said the convention, including Trump's nomination and Vance's selection, will likely not matter much in terms of changing votes. But it might bring in money. "Vance is the youngest major party candidate since the 1800s. That's interesting, but I don't think that's going to drive voters either way. We are so locked in our corners and calcified as North Carolinians and Americans that frankly there's not much that moves the needle anymore," he said. "The one thing that conventions do a good job of is preach to the converted. And the kind of people who give money to the Republican Party are more likely to watch the convention."

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Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Trump, Vance — what would Republican ticket mean for swing state NC?