By Yasmine Regester
Staff Writer, Carolina Peacemaker
(October 31, 2024) With only six days left until Election Day, Vice Presidential candidate Governor Tim Walz (MN) made a few stops in Greensboro while campaigning on October 30. This visit marks the governor’s fifth visit to North Carolina since he joined the Harris-Walz ticket.
Governor Tim Walz arrived at Piedmont Triad International Airport around 2:45 pm and upon arrival, the governor was greeted by U.S. Representative Kathy Manning (D-NC-06), State Representative Amos Quick (D- District 58), House Democratic Whip State Senator Gladys Robinson (D-District 28), State Senator Michael Garrett (D-District 27), Child of Sen. Garrett, Guilford County Board of Commissioners Carlvena Foster (District 1 Commissioner), and Christine Murdock, mother of State Senator Natalie Murdock (D-District 20).
Governor Tim Walz’s first stop was at a canvass kick-off at the Guilford County Democratic Party headquarters.
U.S. Representative Kathy Manning (D-NC-06) addressed the crowd first.
“We can swing this state for Harris and Walz with all the work that you have been doing,” said Manning. “This election is about freedom. The freedom to make our own reproductive choices. The freedom to achieve the economic security you want for yourself and your families. The freedom to vote and the freedom to choose who you want to represent you.”
Governor Walz used his time to fire up volunteers and organizers as they headed out to knock doors on behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign and encouraged North Carolinians to plan to vote early for Kamala Harris.
“All of you in this room have worked too hard for this. The dynamic nature of this state, the forward lean of it, the innovation that's coming out of this state. Your reputation stretches across the country, let’s push this thing over and do this and get North Carolina in our column,” Walz said.
Walz then headed to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) for an event with students from UNC Greensboro as well as neighboring schools North Carolina A&T State University and Bennett College.
He was introduced by Chris Vlassis, president of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro College Democrats. During his remarks, Governor Walz – who spent nearly two decades as a public schools’ teacher and coach – highlighted the critical role young voters will play in the election and talked about the importance of voting early.
“Everything truly is on the line. The idea of democracy, the idea of a peaceful transfer of power, and the idea of investing in people,” said Walz to the crowd of college students.
He also outlined the stakes of this election for young voters – from health care and climate to housing and student debt, while discussing Kamala Harris’ New Way Forward plan.
“I hear this from people all the time, ‘I’m just not into politics,’” Walz said. “My answer: ‘Too damn bad. Politics is into you. And it’s going to make decisions about your body, about your future, about your planet, about how things are done, about how your government acts.’”
Governor Walz closed by encouraging students to join the walk to polls immediately following the event and to volunteer during the last six days.
“So, to get out there to make that effort to vote, to make that effort to get somebody else - this is a privilege,” he said adding, “You’re going to be old someday sitting on that rocking chair and some little kid is going to come and say, ‘what did you do in 2024 to protect democracy,’ and you’ll be able to say I voted, and I did every damn thing I could by getting other people to vote.”
Governor Tim Walz departed Greensboro from the PTI airport around 6 pm and then headed to Asheville to mobilize voters.