CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Vice President Kamala Harris returned to the Queen City on Wednesday, as the fourth stop on her Economic Opportunity Tour, which is "focused on investing in communities, building wealth, and ensuring every American has the freedom to thrive," according to the White House.
She got into town a little before noon Wednesday and was greeted by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. She then arrived for a discussion about the administration's economic policies at Johnson C. Smith University. She was joined by former South Carolina state representative Bakari Sellers and actor Michael Ealy for the discussion.
The tour, which started in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 29, followed by an appearance in Detroit, Michigan, the next week.
“President Biden and I are committed to creating an economy in which every person has the freedom to thrive," Harris said Wednesday. "That is why we have taken historic steps to advance economic opportunity by increasing access to capital, investing in small businesses, addressing housing costs, forgiving student loans and medical debt, investing in infrastructure, and championing additional policies that put money in people’s pockets and build wealth. Our economic approach has delivered great progress, and we will continue to invest in you, your family, and your future.”
The hope of this tour, when her ticket is up for re-election, is to emphasize what the Biden-Harris Administration has done during its first term.
“We can do all this good stuff in Washington D.C., but if it doesn’t hit the streets, it doesn’t matter," Harris said.
Thomas Vinson was among those in the crowd at JCSU. He hoped to hear how the administration would address economic factors that could contribute to crime.
“We know with violence comes from a lack of having, and if we don’t have jobs, they go out and commit crimes to support whatever they need," Vinson said. "I'm glad of the work that they are doing, and with them putting emphasis in North Carolina now, but there's more that can be done."
Jay McClain also attended Wednesday to hear from the vice president in person.
“I would say she has my vote, but I also want to make sure it’s the right vote," McClain said. "I just don’t want to go off of instinct, you know?”
If re-elected, Harris said she'll work to break barriers holding families back including better access to capital, more homeownership opportunities, and better healthcare.
"Right here in Charlotte and across the state of North Carolina, hundreds of thousands of families are able to buy their first home and keep their homes because of investments and changes that this administration made," Adrianne Todman, acting secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, said.
If it feels like Harris was just in Charlotte, that's not wrong. The June 12 visit marked her fifth visit to the state in 2024 and her 13th visit since being sworn in as vice president. In April, the VP came to North Carolina two weeks in a row.
After the event on Wednesday, Harris sat down with WCNC Charlotte Anchor Colin Mayfield for a one-on-one interview. They discussed a wide range of topics, including the economy and foreign affairs.
"Credit score is supposed to be a measure of how financially responsible we are," Harris told WCNC Charlotte. "Medical debt comes about from a medical emergency that no one asks for. That type of debt can stop some Americans from getting a home loan or a car loan. Is it right to let someone who has a medical emergency not have access to those things because their credit score is too low due to medical debt?"
The VP touched on Israel and the ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Middle East.
"We have to get the hostages out, and we must stay focused on the day after," Harris said. "We need to find what will bring stability and security to the region for both Israel and Palestine."
Harris made it clear Wednesday that she believes the people of North Carolina are invested and will make their voices heard this November in the general election.
Watch the full interview with Kamala Harris here:
WCNC Charlotte verified why candidates are visiting the Tar Heel State more in 2024.
Because of Harris' visit, CATS suspended Gold Line service between French Street and Charlotte Transportation Center from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There were also road closures during the visit.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.