The North Carolina GOP Convention took place over the weekend with top names in the conservative movement uniting in Greensboro less than six months out from the presidential election.
The halls of the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro were bustling with thousands of enthusiastic Trump supporters as delegates from across the state met to vote on key party items. The closed-door meetings include discussions of changes to the State Plan of Organization and selecting state-level delegates to the Republican National Convention in July.
Speakers during the open-door sessions included RNC Chair Michael Whatley, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, and former presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Gov. Doug Burgum. Additionally, Republicans running for congressional seats took to the stage on Friday night during the Grand Old Party dinner, where Eric and Lara Trump were the featured speakers.
“We’re going to be able to send three, if not four, new members to Congress. Unfortunately, we’re going to lose one because he’s going to become the next attorney general,” said NCGOP chairman Jason Simmons, referring to Rep. Dan Bishop, who is contesting Democrat Jeff Jackson in the race for state attorney general.
Republican candidates in attendance running for US Congress included Addison McDowell, Brad Knott, Laurie Buckhout, and Pat Harrigan. Buckhout’s race in District 1 is one of the most competitive in the nation. The largest district in the state, geographically, is currently held by Rep. Don Davis and has been represented by Democrats for the last 141 years.
With a sense of humor that amused the entire audience, Congressional District 1 candidate Laurie Buckhout said high costs are a serious problem, especially in her district, which is the poorest in the state.
“As our founding fathers said, we hold these truths to be self-evident. It’s bad out there,” she said of inflation. “I grew up on a cattle farm […] I can still pick out a good steak. And a bacon-wrapped filet is life. But in Joe Biden’s America, the sticker shock at the grocery store is enough to give you whiplash.”
Running for North Carolina’s 10th Congressional District, Former Green Beret Pat Harrigan recognized the Memorial Day weekend by telling a harrowing story of two Green Berets who died in 2017 in Tange Tange while serving their country.
“On this Memorial Day weekend, I’m delivering this graphic scene to ensure your attentiveness to the seriousness of the warriors’ concern,” said Harrigan. “Our country must rapidly change course, or the price we are about to pay will be incalculable. The value and sanctity of Memorial Day is not derived from sacrifice itself, but from sacrifice that is invested in the achievement of superior outcomes for the United States of America through the defense and preservation of values and principles that are far more important than one’s own life. But our politicians have forgotten this truth.”
Hal Weatherman, who’s running for lieutenant governor, hosted a meet and greet event after the dinner and took photos with many supporters.
Delegates elected at the convention will head to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from July 15-18 to officially elect the Republican presidential nominee, former president Donald Trump.