North Carolina Democratic voters, who had otherwise been uninterested, are now feeling a jolt of enthusiasm to head to the polls in November after Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for president.
The must-win state is one of seven vital states for the White House in 2024. And Democrats believe they can give right-leaning North Carolina a different color this election cycle for the first time since 1976.
After President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Harris, the North Carolina Democratic Party saw a 20 percent increase in its volunteer base, the campaign told DailyMail.com.
Kimberly, a cab driver and college student in Charlotte, said she might vote now that a woman is in charge.
“I didn’t vote for Joe or the other guy,” the 36-year-old told DailyMail.com on Wednesday. “But if Kamala or Michelle [Obama] run, maybe.’
Vice President Kamala Harris is galvanizing North Carolina Democratic voters, but some still worry about her chances in November
“The country needs to be brought back together. And women are nurturing that,” she added.
To underscore the importance of North Carolina to Democrats, the party began mobilizing a staff for the southern state in January, a full six months earlier than in previous presidential campaigns.
In addition, the campaign pointed out that the 18 offices in North Carolina plan to double their workforce to 100 employees over the next two weeks.
But some voters are also nervous because they don’t think a black woman can win.
“Most people I know were a little nervous when the announcement first came out,” Charlotte native LaKesha Womack, 46, told DailyMail.com. “When you combine black and female into one person, you wonder how the country would react to that.”
Donald Trump held a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on July 24 — his first since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the presidential race
Womack, chief strategy officer for a corporate education and lending service, said she is “more nervous” about Harris on the list.
“I felt very confident that people would vote for President Biden, even if they didn’t like it, just because I think a lot of people knew what was at stake,” she said. “But you know, just understanding the racial undertones in the country, I think I’m a little bit — and the sexism that exists in this country. I think I’m a little bit fearful, but I’m certainly hopeful.”
However, she also said that her 18-year-old son, who will vote for the first time in November, “certainly” feels empowered to vote for Harris, even though he was planning to vote for Biden anyway.