WILMINGTON/MINT HILL, N.C.—Edwin Robasco was a truck driver and Teamsters union member from Boston. Less than a year ago he moved to Wilmington, North Carolina—one of many retirees flocking to the warm southern state.
On a hot September day at the downtown farmers’ market, he explained why—after supporting “Kennedys, Kennedys, Kennedys” as a Democrat for years—he’s now voting for former President Donald Trump.
“You let millions of people in here. You don’t even know who they are. You don’t have a clue,” Robasco said, referring to the influx of illegal immigrants over the U.S. border, which has become Trump’s chief focus this campaign.
“I don’t know how they’re gonna pay for them. You can’t just let people in and not help take care [of them]. You got to do it,” Robasco said.
Robasco is one of many North Carolinians who spoke with The Epoch Times about how they intend to vote in November’s presidential election, and what’s driving their decisions.
With 15 electoral votes, North Carolina is crucial to win for both Trump and his Democratic opponent Vice President Kamala Harris.
In 2020, Trump won the state by 1.34 percent, his narrowest margin of victory in any state that year. Both Trump and Harris have made the state a regular stop in the final stages of their campaigns.
‘The Economy and the Border’
Across dozens of interviews, the state of the economy and the border crisis were top-of-mind issues for Democratic and Republican voters. Many were concerned about large numbers of illegal immigrants coming to their communities, even as they were supportive of immigration generally.
“The big issues, right now, are the economy and the border. Those are the two major issues that people tell me about on a daily basis. They’re very concerned about our security in our country, and they are very concerned about the loss of jobs and the inflation rate,” North Carolina state Sen. W. Ted Alexander, a Republican, told The Epoch Times at a Trump rally in Mint Hill on Sept. 25.
Al Smith is a 34-year-old who owns an auto body repair shop in Greensboro, North Carolina. He cited migration as one of the reasons he’s voting for Trump this year.
“Hell yeah,” said Smith when asked if he is concerned about illegal immigrants in the area.
“What happens to the average Joe? That job where he was getting paid $14 an hour, now it has been 7, 8 bucks … that’s when it gets a little sticky,” Smith said, suggesting that illegal immigration is bringing down wages for U.S. workers in the area.
“Some of the border things [Trump says] can be a little extreme, but at the same time, just think about how many people are passing through the border,” he said.
“When you have the influx … when you get into millions and millions and millions, you know, they’re getting more money than our veterans—that’s a problem,” said Logan Prince, a business owner and Trump supporter.
Even Harris’s supporters lamented about illegal immigration, though they noted how local businesses relied upon them.
“We have concerns about borders and stuff like that,” said Camila and Lyndon White, grandparents from Randolph County, North Carolina, who are supporting Harris.
“But we … rely on our immigrant population. We have a friend who’s a brick mason, and all of his crews are immigrants. Without them, he couldn’t do what he does.”
“People think about immigration [here]. I mean, all those issues,” said Palmer McIntyre, a Harris supporter and conservationist in Greensboro.
On the economy, voters were worried about both inflation and fuel prices. Disappointment with the Biden administration’s economic performance is a big reason many are choosing to support Trump.
“I’m a small business owner, and I’ve never had a president hurt me as much as this administration has hurt me—from fuel, fertilizers, [to] products. Everything is crazy … [because of] interest rates, I can’t get money from anywhere. Nobody’s lending money and fuel,” said Prince.
“Our finances are going downhill terribly,” said Rev. Rick Baker, the pastor of Faith Baptist Church Mint Hill, North Carolina, who is backing Trump. “People can’t afford those small things. I mean, especially those with lower incomes, they’re struggling. … [As] a pastor of a church, I know my people, and they’re having it harder than they’ve ever been.”
Harris supporters shared these concerns. “I used to think we were upper middle class. I think we’re just middle class now,” said Camila White, who complained of high housing prices and the cost of living.
“[Prices] will continue to [go up], especially with food,” said Cheryl Bridges, a Quaker chaplain in Greensboro, regarding the cost of living. She relies on monthly Social Security payments and is concerned she won’t be able to cover her expenses.
Some of Harris’s supporters told The Epoch Times she is not being clear enough about her economic plans. So far, Harris has proposed a raft of tax credits for parents of minor children, homebuyers, and businesses as her economic proposals.
“I feel like Democrats don’t do a great job at really [communicating],” said Russell, a Harris supporter who runs a mental health services provider in Greensboro.
“You really gotta get very clear … and you gotta be really contemporary with your examples,” he said. “I hope that she hasn’t peaked too early.”
Pro-Abortion Republicans
Abortion has become a flashpoint in the election following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, with several abortion bans in conservative states provoking backlashes. In North Carolina—where the state legislature enacted a ban on abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, with certain exceptions—most voters told The Epoch Times that abortion should be permissible.
“I can’t believe the Roe v. Wade changed. I can’t believe that [Trump] has the right to do that to women,” said Jill Radzcwiz of Salisbury, North Carolina, who said she is voting for Harris “mainly because of women.”
“We have two granddaughters, so I’m concerned about their reproductive rights,” said White. “I would like for [my daughter] to have the freedom to see her doctor and decide her health care needs. … A woman should decide for herself.”
Many Republican voters also favored abortion despite the party’s history of opposing the procedure. Trump has said he wants to “leave it up to the states,” while Harris has made increased abortion access a centerpiece of her campaign.
“It’s really challenging to hear any man at all speak about reproductive rights. I mean, you know, I think that is a decision made by a woman,” said Peter Koke, a landowner in Wilmington who said he is voting for Trump.
“I’m a conflicted person on abortion. Man, I think that if it’s early enough, it’s okay,” said Prince.
“[The Republicans] should come out and say,‘ It’s a personal issue. Let’s be personally responsible,’” said Smith.
“Women have a right. No one should meddle with them, between them and their doctor. It’s hard enough when a woman has to make that decision,” said Robasco. “Leave it alone.”
The Mark Robinson Factor
In addition to the presidency, North Carolina will elect a new governor in November. The incumbent, Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper, is term-limited, and running to succeed him are Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and Democrat Attorney General Josh Stein.
Robinson, known for his controversial statements, has attracted a fresh wave of criticism since Sept. 19 after a CNN report about comments he allegedly made on an adult website. Robinson has vehemently denied the report and said he is considering legal action against CNN.
Since then, Robinson has been conspicuously absent from Trump events in the state despite being endorsed by him. Among Republicans who spoke with The Epoch Times, many indicated they will not vote for Robinson in the upcoming election.
“When there’s smoke, there’s probably a fire. There’s way too much smoke [here],” said Paul Marcus, a warehouse worker in Mint Hill, North Carolina, who attended Trump’s rally there on Sept. 25. Marcus said he will not vote for Robinson.
“He’s too much, unfortunately. I wish he wasn’t in this party,” said Robasco.
Trump has remained silent on the Robinson scandal, which some believe could hurt his chances of winning the state. This is especially true as Democratic allies of Kamala Harris seek to tie him to Robinson’s candidacy.
“It will dissuade people,” said Luke Basso, a 19-year-old student at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington. “Trump has endorsed Robinson, so I feel that could affect Trump … it affected me, and I’m a Republican.”
Several Republican voters came to Robinson’s defense when asked about this possibility.
“We’ve all watched porn. Every man in America has watched porn,” said Prince. “Mark Robinson is a good America First person. … If the stories are true that Trump is pushing him out, I don’t like that.”
“I can’t believe the media,” said Baker. “It’s leaning strong left, and I don’t know what to believe now. They’ve lied about President Trump for so many years. How can you possibly believe them?”
Still, Baker conceded that Trump’s distance from Robinson is wise: “He doesn’t need anything negative.”
Harris’s Achilles Heel
Just as Robinson’s candidacy poses problems for Trump, several left-leaning voters expressed antipathy to Harris’s candidacy over the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas following the terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.
The Biden administration has faced substantial criticism from progressive and Muslim voters for its funding of Israel’s military operations in Gaza since the war began—criticism that’s been shared by Harris, as well.
“Stopping the war on Palestine would be awesome. I’m not hearing that from anybody yet,” said Bridges.
“I am very pro-Palestinian, and neither of the two major candidates really support that. I’m a little Leftist, so I would support Kamala over Trump if I did vote, but I’m very hesitant,” said Giselle Rashid, a clinical researcher in Raleigh.
“Just [commit] to not sending more money and weapons to Israel. [That] would be a good start,” Rashid said when asked what Harris must do to earn her support. “There’s a big community that I think are in agreement on that subject,” she said.