There was a sea of red, white and blue as supporters lined up hours before doors opened to get a spot close to the stage. Messaging on most t-shirts and hats featured common conservative talking points such as gun rights, anti-political correctness, and poking fun at Democrats.
Guest speakers included various Republican representatives from the state, including Lt. Governor Mark Robinson and Congressman David Rouzer. Ted Budd was last to speak before Former President Donald Trump took stage, promising North Carolina voters a better life if they voted for him in the upcoming elections, instead of Democrat Cheri Beasley.
"Beasley would be a rubber stamp for Joe Biden but I will fight his disastrous agenda and work to make your lives better," Budd said.
The sentiment has been commonplace in this election cycle — with both parties claiming the other is too radical.
During Trump's speech, he received loud applause and cheers as he repeated the lie that the 2020 Presidential election was stolen from him, telling the crowd he had "won two elections" and asserting without evidence that he had actually won the 2020 election by a wider margin than the 2016 contest against Hillary Clinton. Trump also claimed Russian President Valdimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine had he still been in office. And, as has become a staple of Trump speeches, he demonized the media present at the rally numerous times.
Trump did take time near the middle of his speech to reflect on his endorsement for Budd, calling him “a great guy”.
"Ted Budd is a conservative America first all star in Congress," Trump said. Budd is one of the most conservative members of Congress.
Throughout the night, Trump claimed that voting Republican was the only way for North Carolinians to fight for their American way of life.
