On Friday, December 19, 2025, all eyes in North Carolina—and much of the nation—will turn to Rocky Mount, where former President Donald Trump is scheduled to make a high-profile campaign appearance at the Rocky Mount Events Center. The event, set to begin with doors opening at 6 p.m. and Trump expected to take the stage around 9 p.m., marks the former president’s third visit to North Carolina this year and signals the official kickoff of the 2026 midterm election season in the state, according to Queen City News and WBTV.
Trump’s visit comes at a politically charged moment. The city of Rocky Mount now sits at the heart of North Carolina’s newly redrawn 1st Congressional District, a change engineered by Republican state lawmakers in October at Trump’s own request, as reported by NPR. The new district lines are widely seen as favoring Republican candidates in an area that, for decades, has elected Black Democrats to Congress. Incumbent Rep. Don Davis, a moderate Democrat, has held the seat since 2022 and intends to run for re-election in 2026, even as the political ground shifts beneath his feet.
The timing of Trump’s rally is no accident. It lands just hours after the candidate filing deadline for the 2026 elections, setting the stage for what promises to be a fiercely contested battle for both the U.S. House and Senate. As NPR notes, North Carolina is shaping up to be home to one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races next year, with voter registrations split almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans. The state’s reputation as a swing state is only heightened by its history of split-ticket voting—voters here have shown a willingness to cross party lines, electing both Democratic and Republican candidates in the same election cycles.
On the Republican side, the Senate primary is already drawing significant attention. Michael Whatley, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and a close Trump ally, is considered the frontrunner, having received Trump’s public endorsement. Whatley announced Trump’s visit on social media earlier in the week, stating, “I’m excited to welcome President @realDonaldTrump to Rocky Mount this Friday. Let’s give him the North Carolina welcome he deserves.” Whatley faces competition from conservative activist Don Brown, Michele Morrow—the 2024 GOP nominee for state schools chief—and several others, with candidate filing open until the day of Trump’s visit, according to Queen City News and additional reporting from local outlets.
Democrats, meanwhile, are rallying behind former Governor Roy Cooper, who is expected to secure the party’s Senate nomination. Cooper, a two-term governor and former attorney general, is a familiar face to North Carolina voters. Other Democratic hopefuls include Daryl Farrow and Marcus Williams, but Cooper’s experience and statewide recognition give him a considerable edge as the campaign season heats up.
Trump’s speech in Rocky Mount is shrouded in some mystery; his team has not disclosed specific talking points for the evening. However, if past appearances are any indication, observers expect the former president to address economic issues, endorse favored candidates, and rally support for GOP efforts to reclaim congressional seats. In a primetime address from the White House earlier in the week, Trump blamed the nation’s economic struggles on the policies of former President Joe Biden, asserting that his own administration is “igniting an economic turnaround.”
Despite these claims, Trump faces headwinds in the court of public opinion. According to a recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, only 36% of voters approve of his handling of the economy—the lowest rating since the poll began tracking the question six years ago. A late November poll from High Point University further underscores the challenge: about 60% of North Carolina voters surveyed disapprove of Trump’s approach to inflation, and 52% disapprove of his tariff policies. These numbers suggest that, while Trump retains a devoted base, there is growing skepticism among swing voters and even some traditional supporters.
Local voices in Rocky Mount reflect this complex political landscape. Ronnie Peede, an HVAC technician who voted for Trump in 2024, told NPR, “He wants to get people back to work and get off of government help as much as possible.” Peede acknowledged that HVAC prices initially rose after Trump’s tariffs but believes they have since stabilized or even dropped. On the other hand, Jonathan Sutton, a local barber and Democrat, has seen higher prices on imported equipment and attributes some of that to Trump’s trade policies. Still, Sutton takes a broader view: “I think prices just go up, period. Since I’ve been alive, I don’t remember a time when prices went down.” Sutton also criticized Trump’s tone and recent remarks, calling them “insensitive.”
The redistricting of North Carolina’s congressional map has generated controversy and legal challenges. Voting rights groups argue that the new lines dilute the influence of Black voters, who have held the 1st District since Eva Clayton’s historic victory in 1992—the first time a Black person from North Carolina was elected to Congress since Reconstruction. Federal judges and the U.S. Supreme Court, however, have declined to intervene, ruling that partisan gerrymandering alone is not grounds for overturning the maps. As a result, Republicans swapped 10 counties between the 1st and 3rd districts, increasing the GOP’s chances in both, according to NPR’s reporting.
As of Thursday evening, four Republicans had filed to run in the 23-county 1st District. Laurie Buckhout, the 2024 GOP primary winner who narrowly lost to Don Davis, has been working in the Trump administration and is expected to make another strong bid. State Senator Bobby Hanig is also in the race, and more candidates could emerge before the filing deadline at noon on Friday.
On the Democratic side, the party is not sitting idly by. Members of the North Carolina Democratic Party held a rally in downtown Raleigh ahead of Trump’s visit, aiming to “ensure North Carolinians know that Trump and D.C. Republicans are driving up the cost of health care,” as reported by local media. The rally underscores the Democrats’ strategy of linking Trump and his party to rising costs and economic anxiety—a message they hope will resonate with voters weary of inflation and political division.
For many in Rocky Mount and across North Carolina, Trump’s visit is both a spectacle and a signal. It’s a reminder of the state’s pivotal role in national politics, the ongoing battle over who will represent its diverse communities, and the high stakes of the 2026 midterms. As the campaign season begins in earnest, the voices of voters like Peede and Sutton—thoughtful, opinionated, and sometimes conflicted—will help shape the outcome in this battleground state.
With the candidate field set and the political stage reset by redistricting, North Carolina’s next chapter in the national political drama is about to unfold in Rocky Mount, under the glare of the spotlight and the scrutiny of voters from all walks of life.
