Updated as of 10:44 a.m. on Oct. 31 to include video.
GREENSBORO - With early voting in North Carolina closing on Nov. 2 and the general election six days away, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz repeated the same number during his visit to Greensboro – less than 150 hours until election day.
Crisscrossing the city, Walz landed at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro around 2:45 p.m. Oct. 30, greeting a few North Carolina leaders, including U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, North Carolina State Sen. Michael Garrett and North Carolina State Sen. Gladys Robinson.
Vice Presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning at the Piedmont Triad International Airport on Oct. 30.
Walz’s visit focused primarily on outlining issues the Harris-Walz campaign see most at stake with this election — reproductive rights, the stability of the economy and voter turnout.
“Everything truly is on the line,” Walz said at University of North Carolina, Greensboro. “The idea of democracy, the idea of a peaceful transfer of power, the idea of investing in people.”
During his first site visit at the North Carolina Democratic Party Greensboro field office, volunteer Cheryl Johnson introduced Walz and explained that her vote for Harris and Walz is bigger than herself.
“I'm fighting for a future that I want my grandchildren to have,” Johnson said. “One where we can afford for them to buy a home, have meaningful, good paying job opportunities, where they can make decisions for their own bodies and start families on their own terms.”
Vice Presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz shares main priorities for the Harris-Waltz campaign during visit to the North Carolina Democratic Party Greensboro field office on Oct. 30.
The field office was packed with supporters taking videos and chanting “coach” as Walz entered. A few attendees wore t-shirts and hats from the Harris-Walz campaign, while others wore clothing from former democratic candidate campaigns — including a t-shirt from former President Barack Obama’s campaign. One attendee held up a photo of Kamala Harris above the crowd, turning to face all sides of the room.
Walz also visited the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and spoke to students from UNCG, North Carolina A&T and Bennett College. At UNCG, he encouraged attendees to educate their classmates on the importance of voting in this election, stressing that just one vote could change the outcome of Nov. 5.
Anxiety over the election is an increasing trend among adults in the U.S. A recent poll from the American Psychological Association found that the future of the nation is a significant source of stress for more than 7 in 10 adults.
“I hear this from people all the time, ‘I'm just not into politics,’” Walz said. “My answer: ‘Too damn bad. Politics is into you. And it's going to make decisions about your body, about your future, about your planet, about how things are done, about how your government acts.’”
With less than a week until the election, Vice Presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visits University of North Carolina, Greensboro to speak to college students on Oct. 30.
According to North Carolina State Board of Elections, nearly 3.2 million North Carolina voters have cast their ballots for the general election as of noon on Tuesday, Oct. 29 – a turnout of 40.7 % of registered voters.
North Carolina is a top target for the Harris-Walz campaign. During both the 2016 and 2020 elections, former President Donald Trump won the state. However, Walz was hopeful throughout the day that North Carolina voters would turn the state blue.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump both made stops in North Carolina today as both campaigns look to win the swing state.
On Oct. 29, Harris delivered her closing speech in Washington, D.C., which Walz argued was not a closing statement but the beginning of her presidency.
“Kamala Harris spoke like a president spoke,” Walz said. “She spoke about the future, she spoke about you, she spoke about decency, she spoke about our responsibility to the Constitution and rule of law. That's in direct contrast of what you saw Sunday in New York City, where it was about dividing us against one another.”
On Oct 20, Trump shared his closing argument at a rally in New York City’s Madison Square Garden; however, his statements were overshadowed by what many are calling “divisive rhetoric” including comments made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe about Puerto Rico. Soon after the rally, the Trump campaign issued a statement stating that the comments made by Hincliffe do not reflect Trump or the campaign.
Walz expressed his frustration with Trump and running mate, JD Vance, for not accepting the results of the 2020 election and for not speaking out against violence at the Capitol during Jan. 6, 2021.
“We settle our differences in the ballot box, not in political violence,” Walz said.
In a final message to supporters today, Walz used the time to once again repeat that same number – 150.
“It's time to pull that glass ceiling down,” Walz said. “To have madam president coming here in less than 150 hours. We can win this thing.”
During Tim Walz' visit to the North Carolina Democratic Party Greensboro field office on Oct. 30, one attendee holds up a photo of Kamala Harris above the crowd, turning to face all sides of the room.
After leaving Greensboro, Walz traveled to Asheville, where he commended the resilience of local communities in the wake of Hurricane Helene and plans for recovery.
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