This year has proved to be an especially active political season for Wilmington with numerous high-profile officials hosting events and delivering remarks across a range of 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 forefront.
President Joe Biden
President Joe Biden visited Wilmington in May, delivering remarks focused on clean water, infrastructure, and jobs across the Port City.
“Mayor (Bill) Saffo, thanks for the passport to your city,” Biden when he walked on stage at Wilmington’s Convention Center. “By the way, you ain’t the only Wilmington in America,” he added, referring to the one in his home state of Delaware.
The presidential visit was primarily focused on the announcement of a $3 billion-dollar federal investment to replace lead-piping through the United States. With approximately nine million lead service lines across the nation, roughly 300,000 of those lines remain in North Carolina.
“There is no safe level of exposure. None,” Biden said. “Until the United States of America…deals with this, how can we say we’re (a) leading nation in the world?”
More on President Biden’s visit:In Wilmington speech, Biden stresses access to clean water with new federal funding
First lady Jill Biden
Approximately two months after President Biden made a stop in the Port City, first lady Jill Biden delivered remarks at Hi-Wire Brewing.
Launching the Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris Program, the first lady highlighted successful legislative and economic initiatives focused on veteran care under the Biden-Harris administration. Biden highlighted her husband’s signing of the PACT Act, delivering benefits to millions of veterans impacted 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 the commander in chief.
Senior Adviser to the President Tom Perez
Tom Perez, senior advisor to President Joe Biden and director of intergovernmental affairs, spoke in front of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in early September, alongside Mayor Bill Saffo and other Wilmington officials.
“This project is going to happen, we have committed $242 million to the replacement of this bridge,” Perez said, noting the federal funding dedicated to the project. The funds will cover approximately half of the estimated $485 million total replacement cost.
Perez described the funding as a “generational investment,” emphasizing that design features of the replacement bridge will need to ensure long-lasting functionality and efficiency for decades.
As part of his Wilmington visit, Perez also made stops at several other projects located across the Port City, including Cinespace Studios, the Wilmington Branch of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Starway Village, and Lakeside Reserve.
More on Perez’s visit to Wilmington:White House official visits Cape Fear Memorial Bridge to tout a ‘generational investment’
Former President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump
Former President and current Republican presidential nominee 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 tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security benefits.
“We’re going to save you,” Trump said. “We did it once and we’re going to do it again.”
Trump was briefly joined on stage by two of his grandchildren, Carolina and Luke — the children of Eric and Lara Trump. A few other Republican politicians spoke prior to Trump’s arrival, including U.S. Congressman David Rouzer.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff
Just four days after Trump held a rally in the Port City, second gentleman Doug Emhoff visited Wilmington’s Casa Blanca to campaign for his wife, Democratic presidential-nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Emhoff outlined Harris’s plan to create an “opportunity economy,” which included three major steps: lowering costs of everyday goods, investing in American innovation and entrepreneurship, and positioning the U.S. to lead globally in the “industries of the future,” including technological advancement and manufacturing.
“If we win Wilmington, and we win North Carolina, you’ll be calling me first gentleman the next time I show up here,” Emhoff said before leaving the venue.
Other state and local officials were in attendance for Emhoff’s visit, including Democratic candidate for N.C. Senate District 7 Dr. David Hill, N.C. Rep. Deb Butler, and more.
More on Emhoff’s visit to Wilmington:In Wilmington, second gentleman outlines plan for a Kamala Harris presidency
Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance
Approximately one month after his running mate hosted a rally at the same venue, Ohio Senator JD Vance arrived in the Port City to deliver remarks similarly focused on the border and the economy.
Referring to “the simple Donald Trump plan,” Vance said the Republican presidential nominee would “restore a golden age of prosperity in this country” by cutting taxes for American workers, cutting down on regulations “that make it harder to hire and make a business,” lowering the cost of fuel and electricity, and making it harder for companies to outsource jobs overseas.
Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Hal Weatherman, and Republican Congressman and candidate for N.C. Attorney General Dan Bishop also delivered remarks at the Aero Center rally.
Former President Bill Clinton
In October, former President Bill Clinton pledged his support for the Harris-Walz campaign at Prost Biergarten in downtown Wilmington.
Clinton said Harris has “practical solutions,” touching on the Democratic presidential nominee’s plans for affordable healthcare and foreign policy. The former president described Harris as the only presidential candidate who cares about democracy and upholding American liberties.
Joined by Mayor Saffo and Rep. 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, the U.S. domestic policy adviser, toured the Haynes/Lacewell Police and Fire Training Facility in Wilmington’s Creekwood neighborhood.
As part of her October visit, Tanden said “Wilmington has had dramatic reductions in violent crime (and) in murder.”
According to the police department’s senior data analyst, Wilmington has seen violent crime decrease by approximately 20% between 2019 and 2023, with homicides decreasing 41% from their peak in 2020.
“I’m just impressed with what Wilmington is doing. I’ll take it back to the White House so that we can spread the word about successful strategies here to ensure that we can reduce crime like Wilmington is in other parts of the country,” Tanden said.
Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz
Wrapping up a busy political season in the Port City, Democratic vice-presidential nominee and Minnesota governor Tim Walz hosted a rally at the Greenfield Lake Ampitheater on Oct. 24.
Remarks delivered by Walz focused on major election issues, including reproductive rights, the economy and education.
“We believe in this country; we believe in the promise. We believe in our neighbors,” Walz said. “We just got to go out there and fight for it.”
The Democratic vice-presidential nominee was joined by singer and guitarist James Taylor, who spoke briefly to the crowd before delivering a performance. Several North Carolina officials, including Gov. Roy Cooper, delivered remarks.
