Trump will rally supporters every day until the election in North Carolina, a swing state he has won twice

GASTONIA, N.C. — Donald Trump will rally supporters in North Carolina every day until Tuesday’s election, a flurry of late activity in the only swing state he won in both his 2016 and 2020 campaigns.

Even as Trump looks to expand the electoral map and expand the power of his projects with trips to New Mexico and Virginia, two Democratic states not widely seen as competitive, he is spending a lot of time on North Carolina, which last won a contest in 2008. Democrat endorsed for president.

The former president’s path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency will become significantly more complicated if he loses North Carolina. The fast-growing southern state gave Trump his smallest margin of victory — 1.3 percentage points — over Democrat Joe Biden four years ago.

Trump campaigned Saturday in Gastonia, west of Charlotte, and was expected to be in Greensboro later in the day, with a stop in Salem, Virginia. He will be in the eastern city of Kinston on Sunday and in Raleigh on Monday. Those four rallies will bring his total number of events in North Carolina since Oct. 1 to nine. His running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, has been to the state six times in the same period, most recently on Friday.

Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic rival, will also be in North Carolina on Saturday for a concert and rally in Charlotte. Her campaign has not announced any other trips to the state before Election Day.

The extensive damage caused by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina has created a dose of uncertainty about the state of affairs here. Floods destroyed homes and displaced people in several counties, including the liberal city of Asheville and the conservative rural areas surrounding it.

Trump’s team has said it is confident in its chances in North Carolina. Democrats see Trump’s attention to the state as a signal of optimism for Harris.

“The repeated appearances may indicate that Trump’s campaign is in trouble,” said Democratic state Rep. Marcia Morey of Durham. “If Trump continues his dangerous, violent rhetoric in recent days, it could backfire. A campaign of personal retaliation does not win people’s votes.”