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North Carolina is one of seven swing states set to play a pivotal role in determining who the next president of the United States will be. While former president Donald Trump has consistently held a narrow polling advantage over vice president Kamala Harris in the Tar Heel State, rural North Carolina’s recent upending at the hands of Hurricane Helene has the potential to alter the electoral dynamics in the crucial battleground state.
FITSNews’ recent trip to western North Carolina focused on documenting the ongoing humanitarian crisis, but it also included interviews with potential voters who offered their thoughts on the 2024 election and their plans to vote (or not to vote).
Our journey started on the banks of the Swannanoa River, where there are SUVs still in trees and the contents of homes still strewn across a washed out river bank. A hodgepodge of tents, campers and trailers now dot the landscape, housing displaced individuals still reeling from the storm.
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Multiple displaced people spoke extensively with FITSNews about the 2024 election, some of whom requested to do so under the condition of anonymity, referencing the polarized political climate.
Despite an overwhelming number of immediate concerns related to the rebuilding of their lives, these individuals were universally eager to talk politics.
The town of Swannanoa lies east of Asheville and west of Black Mountain. Those we spoke with said Asheville’s liberal leanings don’t extend into their community, with one local telling us Asheville’s political proclivities “stay in Asheville.”
“Do you know any Kamala supporters around here?” we asked one person who’d lost their home in flood.
“Not around here, and if I did, I’d run them off,” they replied.
“I know who I’m voting for,” they continued. “The only president whose ever mailed me a check, all the other ones just got their hands held out.”
A quick look around the miniature refugee camp indicated this individual likely was serious about not knowing a Harris supporter. One man – who narrowly escaped death floating down the river on the roof of his home – had a Trump sign outside of his easy-up tent. He told FITSNews he didn’t know who put it there, but that he liked it.
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Ralph Holly, who also lost his home in the storm, expressed his frustration with the lack of a North Carolina National Guard presence to prevent looting after the flood.
“We never got the National Guard here” he said. “People were looting.”
“They were working this place like rats, I mean, people going up and down the damn river, in and out of houses, in and out of trailers, picking up shit off the ground, and there was never no National Guard,” Holly added. “Had the National Guard been here like they’re supposed to have been, they would have had checkpoints (to block) people who weren’t living in this area or bringing supplies to this area.”
The assistance Holly saw firsthand came from private entities.
“Had it not been for them, a lot of people would have just starved,” he said. “I mean, we wouldn’t have been able to make it.”
Holly wasn’t alone in attributing the lackluster response to North Carolina’s Democrat governor Roy Cooper – whom many believe is attempting to damage Republican electoral prospects.
“This flood wiped out a lot of those Republican votes, and long as they can keep these people in turmoil or in despair and under under duress from the flood, they’re not gonna worry about going to fucking vote,” he said. “That’s why they’re not helping.”
(Click to view)
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While numerous residents accused the state of intentionally slow-rolling recovery efforts, North Carolina election officials have taken steps to ensure those impacted by the storm can still cast their ballots. Following the storm, officials modified absentee ballot policies to allow for the issuance of ballots over-the-counter, and permitted residents to return ballots to counties other than their home county.
All of North Carolina’s early voting sites will be open until November 2, and those who aren’t registered to vote are able to register at any early voting site in their home county.
More details on how to vote early in North Carolina can be found here.
According to the N.C. State Board of Elections (NCSBE), there are 1,290,017 registered voters in the twenty-five counties federally designated as disaster areas. Of those, 494,967 are not affiliated with either political party, while 486,575 are registered Republicans and 295,762 are registered Democrats.
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Trump currently enjoys a one percentage point lead over Harris in RealClearPolling‘s rolling average of North Carolina surveys – putting the race well within the margin of error. Should these polls accurately reflect the state of the race, voters in the disaster areas will be essential for Republican operatives to turn-out – and for Democrat operatives to suppress.
From what FITSNews observed firsthand, many of the individuals who survived the storm have limited or no transportation – but are uniquely galvanized and would likely participate in the electoral process if they received assistance in getting to the polls on or before election day. This presents both a challenge and opportunity for Republican political operatives.
While FITSNews didn’t take note of any such GOTV effort, early voting data revealed that voters in disaster-stricken areas have turned in more ballots than voters from other parts of the state, which is isn’t surprising given the anger we observed among many members of the electorate.
Harris’ recent withdrawal of over $2 million worth of reserved North Carolina television ads has led numerous conservative pundits to suggest her campaign believes the state isn’t worth fighting for – but her unprecedentedly large billion dollar war chest means a couple million dollars are likely little more than a rounding error for the best funded presidential candidate the history of the United States.
Expect both campaigns to continue to go go full-steam ahead in North Carolina until the polls close next Tuesday.
Stay tuned for FITSNews’ ongoing coverage of the 2024 election, and for more footage and interviews documenting the plight and experiences of those in Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: Travis Bell)
Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.
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1 comment
“This flood wiped out a lot of those Republican votes”
The cope levels are over 9000 already.