Trump rally in North Carolina: Is traditionally red state up for grabs in 2024?

Rachel Barber and Todd Runkle, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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Former President Donald Trump will return to Asheville, North Carolina, for a rally Wednesday for the first time since September 2016 when attendees and protesters clashed at one of his appearances in the city.

The Republican presidential nominee's Wednesday rally is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. EST and will take place at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

The venue seats 2,431 people and is about a quarter the size of the ExploreAsheville.com Arena, where he spoke in 2016. Trump did return to The Tar Heel state earlier this year for a rally in Greensboro where he focused on border policy and called the migrant crisis "an invasion."

Trump easily won North Carolina's primary election this year, earning 74% of the vote over his challenger Nikki Haley's 23%. However, he is expected to face a much tighter race against Kamala Harris in North Carolina this November.

Live updates: Donald Trump rally in Asheville: latest from North Carolina campaign stop

Is North Carolina a swing state?

North Carolina is not considered a swing state in the 2024 election because a majority of its voters supported Trump in the past two presidential elections.

The swing states that flipped parties in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections are Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

But some observers consider North Carolina a battleground that will help determine the outcome of the race.

Harris is scheduled to make an appearance in Raleigh on Friday to deliver a policy speech.

Did Trump win North Carolina in 2016 and 2020?

Trump won North Carolina in the last two general presidential elections.

In 2016, he defeated Hillary Clinton earning 49.8% of the state's votes to her 46.2%.

Although he lost the national contest, he also defeated Joe Biden in North Carolina in 2020, securing 50.1% of the voter to his 48.7%.

However, according to a new survey the Cook Political Report released Wednesday, Harris gained a narrow lead over Trump in the state.

Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @rachelbarber_

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump rallies in Asheville, NC, where he easily won past elections

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