SANFORD, N.C. — Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance was joined by Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, for a rally in Sanford on Sunday.
The rally took place at the Shelton Aviation - Raleigh Executive Jetport in Sanford, where supporters filled out a hanger to hear the pair speak.
Vance and Trump Jr. criticized the economic policies of Kamala Harris and blamed her for inflation and the high cost of living in their speeches to North Carolina voters.
According to the Department of Commerce, inflation has fallen to 2.1%. However, the cost of everyday goods remains high, making it difficult for American families to keep up.
"We're fighting for the Americans who want to afford a nice meal. We're fighting for our fellow citizens who can't afford groceries and housing because of what's gone on in this country for the last few years," Vance said.
They claimed Trump’s policies would reverse these economic issues and would support American energy independence.
"So, the Donald Trump plan to get us back to economic prosperity is very simple. It's just about common sense. Where Kamala Harris would like us to buy oil and gas from tin-pot dictators all over the world, Donald Trump wants us to 'drill, baby, drill,' buy it from American workers and American territory," Vance said.
Vance and Trump are pushing to place tariffs on imported goods—up to 60% on China specifically and up to 20% on all other countries. Economists say this could lead consumers to cover the extra costs, but Trump campaign hopes these tariffs will protect American manufacturers.
"Donald J. Trump is saying, 'Why don't we give American workers and American companies a tax cut, and why don't we penalize the foreign corporations that are stealing our jobs and shipping 'em to China and Mexico?' That's just common sense," Vance said.
Both Vance and Trump Jr. promised to voters that Trump would enforce stricter border controls and condemned the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to immigration.
Toward the end of the rally, Vance claimed he was confident in Trump’s chances to turn the Tar Heel state red.
"We're fighting for the Americans who want to afford a nice meal. We're fighting for our fellow citizens who can't afford groceries and housing because of what's going on in this country for the last few years," Vance said. "We're fighting for American parents and grandparents to raise their children in safe and secure neighborhoods. We're fighting for the basic principle that if you work hard and play by the rules, you ought to be able to get ahead in this country that all of us love."
With Election Day approaching in a few short days, political experts said both Trump and Harris remain neck-and-neck among North Carolina voters.
Harris was in Charlotte for a rally on Saturday. Harris laid out several policy plans, including restoring abortion rights for women, expanding public healthcare programs, and reducing the strain on families' wallets.
"I will give a middle-class tax cut to over 100 million Americans. I will pass the first-ever federal ban on corporate price-gouging on groceries and fight to make sure hardworking Americans can actually afford a place to live."
One way Harris plans to do that is by providing first-time homebuyers with a $25,000 down payment and offering a $6,000 tax credit for first-time parents. Her goal is to relieve Americans of financial burdens while boosting the economy.
First Lady Jill Biden is expected to be in Winston-Salem to campaign for Harris on Monday.
Donald Trump will be in Raleigh for a rally on Monday and made several stops throughout North Carolina over the weekend.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Keep up with our latest coverage leading up to the 2024 election.
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