Just 12 days out from election day, Governor Tim Walz spoke at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington, N.C. on Oct. 24. 

Thursday, Oct. 24 – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater was filled with 1,200 supporters, young and old, who gathered to hear the Democratic vice-presidential nominee’s remarks ahead of the election. Crowds assembled outside the venue at approximately 2:30 p.m. and attendees expressed both excitement and urgency. 

While the lines were long, rally attendees, such as Patricia Faulker, were surprised by the younger turnout at the rally. Young voters have been an important topic in this election and getting them to the polls has historically been a challenge. A Tufts University study on the 2022 midterms found that although young voter turnout has improved in recent years, it still lags behind older demographics. “When we were younger a lot of people were not that interested in politics,” said Faulker.

The support from young voters in this election is noticeable and making an impact on longtime voters, “I find it interesting that someone is taking an interest in politics so young. And I think it’s great. And I think that’s changed because you’re seeing a lot of issues right now that are impacting you and will impact your future,” she continued.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and N.C. Governor Roy Cooper took the stage, each giving quick remarks and urging attendees to vote early and mobilize their friends, families and communities to do the same. 

N.C.’s designation as one of six key swing states has drawn significant national attention, with the state seeing intensified campaigning from both parties. The Harris-Walz campaign has made several stops across N.C. to mobilize supporters and sway undecided voters as the polls remain nearly tied. 

According to U.S. News and World Report N.C.’s role as a swing state is driven by a combination of factors, including its increasingly diverse and competitive voter base. N.C. is historically known for ‘ticket-splitting’ and recent polls show less than a 2% difference between Harris and Trump. 

Saffo reminded the audience earlier in the evening, “The path to the White House runs straight through the state of North Carolina… specifically Wilmington.”

Local Wilmington High School Exceptional Children’s (EC) instructor, Coach T. was the last to speak, officially welcoming Walz to the Port City. The welcome was fitting as Walz taught as a social studies teacher for 20 years before beginning his political campaigns. Walz’s background in education has shaped his policies and subsequently made supporters, particularly educators, confident in his commitment to fight for students. According to a poll by Education Votes, 67% of educators believe Walz’s experience in the classroom positively influences his education policies. 

“As a teacher and an educator myself, what I really see is someone who not only understands but lives through the struggles of giving your all in a profession and sometimes feeling as if you are still not doing enough,” said Coach T. “A politician who not only knows but [has] fought for the importance of making sure students can receive free meals, that’s breakfast and lunch, while in school and to make sure their basic needs are met before teaching even begins.” 

As she exited the stage, the crowd’s anticipation grew as they began to chant for Walz, “Coach! Coach! Coach!” The nickname is a nod to his background as a high school football coach. At approximately 6:40 p.m., Walz took the stage to John Mellencamp’s “Small Town,” another nod to his humble beginnings.

Supporters noted that character is important when deciding who gets their vote, “Her [Kamala] character is amazing. She’s compassionate. And God, who doesn’t need somebody to wrap their arms around us in this moment?” said rally attendee Carol Nollan.

Walz’s speech tackled core topics such as gun control, abortion rights and the economy. He also criticized the Trump-Vance campaign, emphasizing focus on middle–class families, economic fairness and accessible healthcare under Harris’ leadership. 

“She [Harris] and I are offering a new way forward… where everybody gets the opportunity to get ahead, not just get by,” said Walz, highlighting their campaign’s economic proposals.

The Harris-Walz platform includes a $6,000 child tax credit and an extension of the $35 insulin cap for seniors, citing similar policies he implemented in Minnesota. Additionally, he pointed to Social Security and Medicare as essential programs for reducing poverty and noted Harris’ proposal to expand Medicare coverage to include hearing aids and in-home care. 

Walz also touched on economic opportunities for young adults and small business owners, discussing Harris’ plans for grants and tax credits designed to help smaller enterprises rather than large corporations. On gun control, Walz shared his perspective as a veteran and gun owner, pledging to “uphold the second amendment while also upholding our first responsibility: [the] protection of our children and our communities from gun violence.”

On reproductive rights, Walz stated, “We’re going to win the Congress, we’re going to hold that senate, and we’re going to let Kamala Harris restore Roe v. Wade… she will sign the law.”

The audience cheered as Walz concluded his speech, underscoring the stakes of this election and driving home the importance of voter turnout in N.C.

“It is going to come down to the battleground states… probably none more important than North Carolina,” said Walz on the topic of voter turnout in a swing state like N.C. “All these rallies, all these door knocks, all these phone calls, all the money that people donate to this [campaign] comes down to translating and turning those efforts into a very simple little sticker that we need to put on more people: ‘I voted.’”

Following Walz’s speech, six-time Grammy winner and musician James Taylor took the stage at 7:30 p.m., revving up the crowd with an acoustic rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

“We need to get to work,” said Taylor before continuing with other fan favorites, such as “Carolina In My Mind” and “You’ve Got a Friend.”

Following Taylor’s performance, Walz returned to the stage a final time, concluding the rally with a call to action, urging supporters to “get out the vote” as the election nears. 

“We believe in this country… we believe in the promise,” said Walz. “We just got to go out there and fight for it.” 

For information about early voting or voter resources in N.C., visit NCSBE.gov.