President Obama and Hillary Clinton campaign in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, NC (WJZY) - CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on the appearance of President Barack Obama and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Charlotte and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Raleigh.
3:10 p.m.
Democratic Senate candidate Deborah Ross and gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper are urging supporters in Charlotte to vote in November and bring their party victory.
Ross told a crowd Tuesday at the Charlotte Convention Center that North Carolina is on the national map and will be painted Democrat-blue in November. Ross is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr, who she called a "classic example" of politics as usual.
Cooper followed Ross onto the stage. He said Republican Gov. Pat McCrory failed to make education a priority and signed the state law that limits some legal protections to LGBT people. Cooper said the law has cost the state thousands of jobs and should be repealed.
Cooper said President Barack Obama and presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton recognize the state's election importance.
2:25 p.m.
North Carolina Democratic Rep. Alma Adams warmed up the crowd awaiting President Barack Obama and presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at a rally at the Charlotte Convention Center focusing on topics such as gun violence and voting.
The 12th District representative talked about the recent sit-in in the House of Representatives and the efforts of Democratic lawmakers to pass legislation to end gun violence as well as attempts to raise the minimum wage. She said that those efforts wouldn't advance if Donald Trump is elected president. She said Trump is like "the rooster who thinks that the sun comes up just to hear him crow."
President Obama, Hillary Clinton announce location of Charlotte campaign event
Adams also targeted North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, calling on him and the General Assembly to end their attacks on the LGBT community, and making a call to fully repeal House Bill 2. She also issued a plea to the crowd to register to vote in November, adding that people need to make sure the information on their registration is up to date to ensure they can vote.
As Adams spoke, people continued to enter the Charlotte Convention Center to see Obama and Clinton.
1:45 p.m.
The North Carolina NAACP is calling on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to embrace policies of historical Republicans who fought for voting rights and higher wages in the state and reject a campaign that has been marked by racial tension and mistrust.
North Carolina NAACP president The Rev. William Barber and a handful of faith leaders held a news conference in Raleigh the morning of Trump's scheduled visit to the state's capital city Tuesday.
Barber says Trump's rhetoric is a representation of "Southern strategy" to divide voters and says it falls in line with recent policies supported by Gov. Pat McCrory and the state's GOP-dominated General Assembly.
Barber says he expects opposition at Trump's speech but does not know of any formal plans for nonviolent protests or arrests.
Barber says he will not attend any of the campaign events Tuesday and will work on efforts to educate and recruit voters.
Gov. McCrory Campaign Statement on Roy Cooper's appearance with Hillary Clinton:
"Roy Cooper's embrace of the Clinton-Obama agenda of higher taxes, bigger government and the elimination of our right-to-work laws is a stark reminder that Cooper has always and will always defer to Washington, D.C. and his party bosses instead of doing what's best for North Carolina families.
Today is no different. Despite his job as North Carolina's chief law enforcement officer, it looks like Roy Cooper will turn a blind eye to Hillary Clinton's corruption just like he did when Mike Easley and Bev Perdue were in power."