On Monday night, Kamala Harris was miles away from Raleigh, North Carolina, but her message resonated loudly across the state. A lively crowd gathered at the Ritz concert venue in Raleigh to watch her livestreamed closing speech, chanting one of her key campaign slogans, “We’re not going back.” Although Harris delivered her remarks from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the energy in the room was palpable.
The crowd was diverse, including supporters from various backgrounds—members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority, men sporting “White Dudes for Harris” baseball caps, and at least one union member wearing a “Teamsters for Harris” t-shirt. This eclectic mix reflected the broad coalition of Harris’ supporters in the Tar Heel state.
Sloan Duvall, a senior at the University of North Carolina and president of the College Democrats chapter, highlighted the enthusiasm among young voters. “Students are really recognizing the importance of this election and are heading to the polls in full force,” Duvall said. Many students, he noted, were particularly motivated by Harris’ commitment to protecting reproductive rights and her focus on economic policies that resonate with younger generations.
The impact of Harris’ campaign on North Carolina’s youth was evident in the early voting numbers, with voters under 25 accounting for approximately 9.5% of the early ballots cast, according to the University of Florida’s early voting tracker.
In the 2020 election, North Carolina was a narrow battleground, with Donald Trump securing a slim victory by just 75,000 votes. This year, as the state remains a key swing state, the race is once again expected to be tight, with both campaigns working hard to energize their base and turn out voters. Harris’ message is clearly reaching across demographics, especially younger voters, as both parties vie for every vote in the critical swing state.
