Biden’s Focus Turns to North Carolina for the 2024 Election Map
Without the Tar Heel state, Democrats say, Republicans don’t have a path to the White House.
President Joe Biden is setting his sights on North Carolina for potential redemption in the upcoming year. In the 2020 election, Biden narrowly lost the state to Donald Trump by 1.4 percentage points, and the Democratic Party has not been able to turn North Carolina blue since Barack Obama’s victory in 2008. However, Biden’s team sees an opportunity in the state for the 2024 election, thanks to recent developments, including a controversial abortion ban, a competitive gubernatorial race, and continuous population growth in urban and suburban areas.
State and local Democratic leaders are considering North Carolina as the next battleground akin to Arizona or Georgia. They are urging the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to invest heavily in the state, as they believe securing North Carolina is essential for the Democrats to secure the White House in 2024.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, a member of the president’s national advisory board, expressed confidence in Biden’s early commitment to the state and believes that the campaign’s investment is critical for the president’s re-election chances. The DNC has already run ads in North Carolina, emphasizing Biden’s economic agenda, and there are plans for an aggressive campaign in the state.
Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have made appearances in North Carolina, indicating the state’s importance to the Democratic campaign. Republicans have welcomed the opportunity for Biden and Harris to discuss the economy, believing it will provide good material for their own TV ads.
Democratic strategists argue that the political environment in North Carolina has shifted in their favor, and they have been able to make gains in urban and suburban counties, overcoming Republican strength in rural areas. They expect the Biden campaign and the DNC to increase their presence in the state, but the actual extent of their investments will be clearer next year.
The Democratic Party is also counting on the gubernatorial election to help offset campaign costs. The race is expected to be expensive, and Democrats are hoping for a ticket of Donald Trump and Mark Robinson, the Republican lieutenant governor. They believe this combination would drive away swing voters and boost enthusiasm among young voters.
Party leaders in North Carolina, such as Governor Cooper and Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton, are seen as crucial surrogates who can energize voters, particularly young people.
The amount of money and resources national Democrats dedicate to North Carolina will depend on who Biden’s opponent is. If it’s a rematch with Trump, Democrats are likely to invest heavily, but if another GOP contender, such as Tim Scott or Nikki Haley, emerges as the nominee, the Democrats may not see a path to victory in the state.
