Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff encouraged college students to vote at campaign event near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus on Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo: Christine Zhu/NC Newsline)
CARRBORO — Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff encouraged college students to vote at a Tuesday campaign event just off the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus.
He told about 150 attendees — primarily UNC students, but a few dozen community members and residents of the Research Triangle area — at the music venue, Cat’s Cradle, that he’s spoken proudly of the Tar Heel State when he’s on the campaign trail in the other swing states of Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
More than 1 million votes have been cast so far in North Carolina. Early voting began last Thursday and runs until Nov. 2.
“I’ve been bragging about you those last couple days because of the early voting turnout, setting records in North Carolina,” Emhoff said.
By hosting an event near a college campus and with a concert, the campaign wanted to target young voters. UNC Young Democrats President Sloan Duvall told NC Newsline that the group has been tabling every day and helped about 480 students register to vote.
American singer-songwriter SG Goodman performed a few songs after Emhoff and Maya Harris, Vice President Kamala Harris’ sister, spoke.
“I’m so happy to be here at a campaign concert and a room full of first-time voters,” Maya Harris said. “This is actually the best stop on the campaign trail.”
Earlier in the day, Emhoff and Maya Harris attended a canvass launch event in Cary, stopped for ice cream at Howling Cow Dairy Education Center and Creamery — he purchased “Wolf Tracks” ice cream in a cone, and Maya got banana pudding — and joined a hurricane relief supply organizing event in Carrboro.
At one point at Cat’s Cradle, a young woman interrupted Emhoff’s speech.
“Hey Doug, tell your wife to stop bombing children in Gaza. She’s a war criminal,” the woman yelled.
The crowd responded with boos and chants of “Kamala” as security removed the woman and another individual, who had waved a Palestinian flag, from the venue.
“We respect your free speech. Donald Trump will not respect your free speech,” Emhoff said calmly from the stage.
He later used the incident as a talking point about how the Harris administration would not dissuade the First Amendment rights of free expression.
Emhoff stressed the importance of casting a ballot in order to protect reproductive rights, the environment, the economy, and preventing gun violence.
In addition to praising his wife and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, Emhoff frequently attacked former President Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance.
“[Trump] is not your friend. He is Elon Musk’s friend,” Emhoff repeated throughout his speech.
Emhoff specifically named a list of celebrities and high-profile politicians who have voiced their support for the Harris-Walz campaign, including Taylor Swift, Steph Curry, Eminem, Barack Obama, and Liz Cheney.
He also mocked Trump for attempting to distance himself from North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, who received national attention last month after lewd and offensive comments he made online surfaced.
“He pretends he doesn’t even know anything about this guy running for governor, Mark Robinson. I can’t even repeat the stuff that guy was saying,” Emhoff said. “Josh Stein is going to be a great governor.”
Tuesday marked Emhoff’s second trip to North Carolina since Harris entered the presidential race. He joined Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz at an event advocating for reproductive freedom in Raleigh last month.
It was also part of what’s become a virtual nonstop stream of events held by the candidates and surrogates in North Carolina, where opinion polls show the presidential race too close to call. Trump held events in Asheville and Greenville on Monday, and a rally in Greensboro Tuesday night. Walz will make a series of political stops in Durham, Greenville, and Wilmington on Thursday.