North Carolina will be the epicenter of the unparalleled 2024 presidential race Wednesday
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Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at Bojangles Coliseum on March 2, 2020, in Charlotte. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
During one of the wildest times in American politics, former President Trump will mobilize his supporters Wednesday in an east Charlotte arena.
Why it matters: Trump's evening rally at Bojangles Coliseum marks his first campaign rally since President Biden exited the 2024 race Sunday. The visit also comes just 11 days after the former president survived an attempted assassin's bullet by inches at another rally in Pennsylvania.
Driving the news: The event is scheduled to begin at 6pm, meaning traffic along Independence Boulevard, already one of Charlotte's most congested rush-hour roads, will be brutal. CMPD says people can expect delays in the area between noon and 10pm.
- People driving in the area of Charlotte's airport will also see delays between 4pm and 8:30pm, CMPD says.
The intrigue: The last time Trump was in North Carolina, he was watching NASCAR in Concord over Memorial Day weekend.
- But the last time he was at Bojangles Coliseum came during another pivotal moment in history. That was early March 2020, before we knew how much COVID lockdowns would shake the world and reframe national politics, from health care to public education.
Flashback: At the time, Trump was broadcasting that it was "very safe" to gather at his campaign rallies, like the crowd of roughly 10,000 in the coliseum. He was already pointing his finger at Democrats, claiming the virus was the party's "new hoax."
What we're watching: How Trump will speak of his new, presumptive opponent: Vice President Kamala Harris.
- Plus, what he and other Republican speakers potentially say about one of her prospective running mates: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
The latest: Cooper spoke to local reporters Tuesday for the first time since the vice president search shined a national spotlight on him. He again was cautious to talk about being open to or accepting the role. He instead diverted the focus to Harris.
- "First, I endorse Kamala Harris 100% for this job as president. I've known her a number of years. We served as attorneys general together," Cooper told WBTV. "She has to win. She has to stop Trump and I want her to get the very best person she can get as vice president. That being said, I respect her process and I'm not going to comment on it any further."
Meanwhile, members of North Carolina's congressional delegation are sending in their pro-Cooper references, as Axios' Andrew Solender reports.
- Rep. Jeff Jackson said Cooper is "awesome." He's "planning on" making that view known to the Harris campaign.
The other side: The Harris for President campaign is hosting its first Charlotte event earlier in the day with popular local Democrats, such as Mecklenburg County Commissioner Mark Jerrell and former Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston. They'll "sound alarm" on Project 2025, according to a press release.
- Trump has tried to distance himself from the controversial agenda.
Go deeper: All eyes on Gov. Roy Cooper, and his ability to keep N.C. in play for Democrats