Donald Trump campaigns in Greensboro with a focus on the border

On Saturday afternoon, former president Donald Trump campaigned in Greensboro ahead of the Super Tuesday primary. Trump is running well ahead of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in North Carolina, but looking ahead to the general election in November, the swing state is considered a critical pick up for Trump’s re-election bid. 

By 9 a.m., some five hours before he was scheduled to speak, the line of several hundred Trump supporters stretched around the Greensboro Coliseum. Under overcast skies and temperatures in the low 40s, the atmosphere was festive with animated discussions among those waiting to enter. There were enormous Trump 2024 banners, chants of “Four more years,” and a spontaneous acapella crowd performance of “America the Beautiful.” 

A small sampling of political issues that rise to the top of the minds of those in attendance revealed some variety.

Greensboro native Blayne Stewart questioned the Biden administration’s commitment. 

“A lot of things are tough these days,” said Stewart. “We need a real leader back in charge.”

Rally attendee David Capen said he’s concerned about what he calls “government overreach.” 

“At the top for me is medical freedom,” he said. “Even currently you may say, ‘That’s an old issue, that’s 2020,’ but it’s very real. And it’s not anti-vaccination, but it’s making sure that people have the freedom to choose whether or not they’re vaccinated.” 

And for Greensboro resident and father of two, Travis McCain, it’s all about the dollar. 

“For me, I just need prices to go down — gas prices, cost of living prices. It was a lot better when he was in office as opposed to what’s going on now,” McCain said.

But one issue seemed to tower above all others: border control.

Laurie Smith and her family have rallied around Trump over this issue and more.

“You know, I’m not against them coming into our country,” she said. “Just come the right way. Come the legal way.”

Just ahead of Smith in line, Randy Pruitt agreed. “Because we don’t know who all is coming into the country, and what kind of people they are,” he says. “If they come in legally, they can be screened.”

Inside the coliseum, following short introductory speeches by Representative Virginia Foxx, Senator Ted Budd, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson and other state officials, Donald Trump took the stage at approximately 2:14 p.m.

The former president spent much of the next hour and a half on immigration.

“Two days ago I was with Governor Greg Abbott at the Texas border — he’s doing a good job — to witness the total devastation that crooked Joe Biden has unleashed,” Trump said. “Our border is an open and gushing wound. It’s pouring drugs, gangs, terrorists and millions and millions of illegal aliens into our country.” 

Polls are open 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Any voter in line at their assigned polling place by that time will be able to cast a ballot.