They wanted to do a speech on the economy,” Trump said at a rally in Asheville, North Carolina, on Wednesday, in an apparent reference to his campaign aides. Her momentum has tightened the race in several swing states, including North Carolina, where Trump once had a wide lead over Biden. Harris will also pay a visit this week to North Carolina, which Trump clinched in 2020 and is a must-win for him this year. Especially relevant to candidates, North Carolina has a surprisingly high share of rural counties, despite all the political focus on economic powerhouses Charlotte and Raleigh. About 3.5 million North Carolinians live in rural areas, second in the nation only to Texas, according to the US Census Bureau.
