By james art 
James Taylor plays “Carolina in My Mind” at a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina
The Grammy winner and North Carolina native performed several of his favorite songs during the campaign at Wilmington’s Greenfield Lake Amphitheater.
This year proved to be a particularly active political season for Wilmington, with numerous high-profile officials holding events and giving remarks at various venues.
Since May, nine prominent political figures have made stops in Wilmington. Here’s a closer look at each visit and the key issues they brought to the fore.
President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden visited Wilmington in May, making remarks focused on clean water, infrastructure and jobs in the port city.
“Mayor (Bill) Saffo, thank you for the passport to your city,” Biden as he took the stage at the Wilmington Convention Center. “By the way, you’re not the only Wilmington in America,” he added, referring to the one in his home state of Delaware.
The presidential visit was primarily focused on announcing a $3 billion federal investment to replace lead pipelines across the United States. With approximately nine million lead service lines across the country, approximately 300,000 of those lines remain in North Carolina.
“There is no safe level of exposure. Nothing,” Biden said. “Until the United States of America … addresses this, how can we say we are (a) leading nation in the world?”
First Lady Jill Biden
Roughly two months after President Biden stopped in the port city, First Lady Jill Biden delivered remarks at Hi-Wire Brewing.
Launching the Biden-Harris Veterans and Military Families Program, the first lady highlighted the successful legislative and economic initiatives focused on veteran care under the Biden-Harris administration. Biden highlighted her husband’s signing of the PACT Act, providing benefits to millions of veterans affected by toxic exposures.
“President Biden wakes up every morning ready to work for you,” the first lady said, noting her husband’s status as both a proud military father and commander-in-chief.
Senior Advisor to the President Tom Peres
White House staffer Tom Perez talks about funding for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
White House staffer Tom Perez visited the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge on Friday to celebrate a major investment of federal funding.
Tom Perez, President Joe Biden’s senior adviser and director of intergovernmental affairs, spoke in front of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in early September, along with Mayor Bill Saffo and other Wilmington officials.
“This project is going to happen, we’ve set aside $242 million to replace this bridge,” Perez said, noting the federal funding dedicated to the project. The funds will cover roughly half of the estimated $485 million in total replacement costs.
Perez described the funding as a “generational investment,” stressing that the design features of the replacement bridge will need to ensure long-lasting functionality and performance for decades.
As part of his visit to Wilmington, Perez also stopped by several other projects located in the port city, including Cinespace Studios, the Wilmington branch of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Starway Village and Lakeside Reserve.
Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump
Former president and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hosted a rally at Wilmington’s Aero Center in September, delivering remarks focused on immigration and the economy. As part of his speech, Trump proposed no gratuity tax, no overtime tax and no Social Security tax.
“We’re going to save you,” Trump said. “We did it once and we’ll do it again.”
Trump was briefly joined on stage by two of his grandchildren, Carolina and Luke, the children of Eric and Lara Trump. Several other Republican politicians spoke before Trump’s arrival, including U.S. Congressman David Rooser.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff
Just four days after Trump held a rally in Port City, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff visited Casa Blanca in Wilmington to campaign for his wife, Democratic presidential nominee and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Emhoff outlined Harris’ plan to create an “opportunity economy” that includes three main steps: reducing the cost of everyday goods, investing in American innovation and entrepreneurship, and positioning the U.S. as a global leader in the “industries of the future,” including technological progress and production.
“If we win Wilmington and we win North Carolina, you’re going to be calling me the first gentleman the next time I’m in here,” Emhoff said before leaving the room.
Other state and local officials attended Emhoff’s visit, including Democratic candidate for NC Senate District 7 Dr. David Hill, NC Rep. Deb Butler and others.
Republican Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance
About a month after his running mate hosted a rally at the same venue, Ohio Sen. JD Vance arrived in the port city to deliver remarks similarly focused on the border and the economy.
Referring to Donald Trump’s “simple plan,” Vance said the Republican presidential nominee would “restore the golden era of prosperity in this country” by cutting taxes for American workers, reducing regulations “that make it difficult to hire and do business ,” reducing fuel and electricity costs and making it harder for companies to outsource jobs.
Republican lieutenant governor candidate Hal Weatherman and Republican congressman and North Carolina attorney general candidate Dan Bishop also made remarks at the rally at the Aero Center.
Former President Bill Clinton
In October, former President Bill Clinton pledged his support for the Harris-Walz campaign at the Prost Biergarten in downtown Wilmington.
Clinton said Harris had “practical solutions,” touching on the Democratic presidential nominee’s plans for affordable health care and foreign policy. The former president described Harris as the only presidential candidate who cares about democracy and upholding American freedoms.
Joined by Mayor Saffo and Representative Butler, Clinton’s message centered around urging North Carolinians to exercise their right to vote in the general election.
US domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden
Celebrating the success of federal partnerships and crime prevention in the port city, Neera Tanden, US domestic policy advisor, visited the Haynes/Lacewell Police and Fire Training Facility in Wilmington’s Creekwood neighborhood.
As part of his visit in October, Tanden said “Wilmington has had a dramatic decrease in serious crime (and) homicides.”
According to the police department’s senior data analyst, Wilmington saw a roughly 20 percent drop in violent crime between 2019 and 2019. and 2023, with homicides down 41% from their peak in 2020.
“I’m just impressed with what Wilmington is doing. I will take it back to the White House so we can spread the word about successful strategies here to ensure we can reduce crime like Wilmington has in other parts of the country,” Tanden said.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Waltz
Capping off a busy political season in the port city, Democratic vice presidential candidate and Minnesota governor Tim Waltz hosted a rally at the Lake Greenfield Amphitheater on October 24.
Waltz’s remarks focused on key election issues, including reproductive rights, the economy and education.
“We believe in this country; we believe in the promise. We believe in our neighbors,” Waltz said. “We just have to go out there and fight for it.”
The Democratic vice presidential candidate was joined by singer and guitarist James Taylor, who spoke briefly to the crowd before performing. Several North Carolina officials, including Gov. Roy Cooper, made remarks.