Trump in Duplin: GOP candidate should feel right at home in Kenansville

Donald Trump is coming to Duplin County today and likely will receive a warm welcome from the thousands of rural voters who are expected to overflow the Duplin Events Center near Kenansville.

Political experts say the decision to make a campaign stop in this rural hamlet is a savvy one. Duplin County voters are mostly blue collar and already likely to back him in November. Appearing before a crowd of enthusiastic supporters in a humble setting like this certainly can't hurt his campaign image as a man of the people.

And North Carolina is a key state for both Trump and Hillary Clinton, one of the "swing" states that could decide the election. You can bet that Clinton won't be coming anywhere near the area. Her electorate is located in more urban areas of the state, and she can be expected to make campaign pitches in places like like Raleigh and Charlotte.

Trump knows what he is doing. Appealing to the disaffected rural masses has been a key component of his campaign all along. This stop in Duplin can only add to that element.

Published in Editorials on September 20, 2016 9:47 AM