Governor Tim Walz speaks with James Taylor at rally in Wilmington, NC

With early voting beginning, Carolina had no doubt in Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s mind as he took the stage at the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater on Thursday evening.

Even among the excitement, the main theme was that with less than two weeks until Election Day, a lot is at risk. Walz aimed to reassure voters about a series of plans he said a Harris-Walz administration would require. These include defending reproductive rights, supporting small businesses, and more.

The event also featured a performance by Grammy-winning musician James Taylor. Taylor said he was proud that North Carolina was “in a position to save the country,” before singing several classics including “Carolina in My Mind.”

“We don’t have time to linger,” he said. “We must get to work.”

The majority of the attendees were Wilmington residents, with visitors sprinkled in, but they all crowded into the venue’s 1,200 seats, excited to hear the Minnesota governor speak.

They cited advocating for reproductive rights, public education, the environment, access to healthcare, and restoring democracy as reasons why they support Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper appeared on stage to introduce Walz and show their support. The Cape Fear region is also familiar with major flooding, Cooper said, citing the devastation in Western North Carolina. He assured the audience that the state would continue to provide support to those affected by Helene.

But despite the effects of nature, Cooper said, “We cannot allow Donald Trump back in the White House.”

Saffo reminded the audience that “the road to the White House runs directly through the state of North Carolina and specifically through the state of Wilmington.”

Tim Walz in Wilmington: Highlights from the rally with James Taylor

“Aries! Aries! Aries!” chanted the crowd, which invited the former public school teacher and high school football coach to the stage shortly after 6:30 p.m. Walz continued by saying, “never underestimate a public school teacher.”

Walz said he and Kamala’s team “ran like everything was on the line, because everything was on the line.”

Walz quoted Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, as warning that Trump would rule like a dictator.

“He wants to weaponize our democratic institutions against you, against the American people, certainly against me,” Walz said. “But that’s against anyone who disagrees with him. That’s what he’s trying to do, guys, but this time there are no guardrails around him,” Walz said. “They’re completely gone.”

Walz reminded the audience that the Harris-Walz administration would include 100 million Americans in the middle class with a tax cut and a $6,000 child tax credit. He also added that he and Harris want to expand the $35 insulin cap for seniors.

He also noted that small businesses, but not large corporations, will receive financing and a $50,000 tax credit.

Walz made an appeal to all the Independent and even Republican voters in the crowd, saying that the Republican Party is not what it used to be. He said the old party talked about freedom and meant it, but they don’t do that anymore.

He touched on the right to bear arms, a hot topic among Republicans. He said both he and Harris own guns, but that “having a gun doesn’t mean you can’t engage in common sense solutions to keep our children safe.”

Trump’s Roe v. While Wade says he boasts about overturning his case, women’s lives are in danger because he leaves the decision up to the states. If he and Harris are elected, Roe v. Wade vowed to reopen his case. “Think about the women in your life, your loved ones, your daughters, your wives, your mothers, your neighbors; their lives are literally at stake in this election,” he told the men in the audience.

New Hanover County Board of Education candidate Tim Merrick, who attended the rally, emphasized the importance of the Harris-Walz administration for its plans to support public education. New Hanover County Schools in particular cannot afford to lose federal funding, Merrick said.

Merrick said the main thing he’s looking for (and he believes other voters are, too) is authenticity, and he believes voters will see that through Walz’s visit. Through his campaign for the school board, he said voters really want to see that the person they are voting for is genuine and genuine.

Other prominent Democrats are visiting North Carolina to secure presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ place in the White House. Finally, former President Bill Clinton spoke to voters at the Prost Biergarten in downtown Wilmington. The second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, also spoke recently at Casa Blanca Roasters.

More: Former President Bill Clinton says Harris has ‘practical solutions’ during Wilmington visit

More: Donald Trump talked about border security and economy at his rally in Wilmington

But Republicans have also made the Port City a priority, with two events planned by Trump. Although Trump missed the first rally in April due to bad weather conditions, he held another rally in September. Less than a week ago, running mate J.D. Vance also traveled to Wilmington to rally at the Aero Center.

With less than two weeks until Election Day, the pressure is on as the Tar Heel State remains one of the keys to victory. Accordingly latest pollsTrump and Harris are neck and neck; In one poll, Trump is ahead by 2 percentage points, in another, Harris is ahead by 2 to 3 percentage points.

“We believe in this country; We believe in your promise. We believe in our neighbors,” Walz said, “We just have to go out there and fight for it.”