In fact, eighty years ago last night, on May 4, 1944, the North Carolina was returning to the naval base in Majuro with its task group following the bombardment of Japanese artillery on the island of Pohnpei. Shortly thereafter, she would head back to the naval base at Pearl Harbor for repairs before sailing back out to join the tail end of action in the Philippines. She would spend the rest of the war supporting our troops in places like Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Tokyo—critical battles in the long road toward the end of the war.
Well, today, eighty years later, marks six months out from the 2024 election, and once again, North Carolina is preparing for battle. Just like our namesake battleship, we’re getting ready to head back out there and fight for our freedom on the front lines of democracy. The outcome of the fight ahead will determine the trajectory of our state and our nation, and, just like in 1944, whether democracy or fascism will prevail.
We are at a crossroads, and it’s all hands on deck—and just like the USS North Carolina provided critical support to our ground troops on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, this campaign can provide the support that Josh Stein and Joe Biden need to keep a Democrat in the Governor’s mansion and re-elect our President. We’ve seen that with our strong primary result in the rural east. If we can replicate that support in November, then Democrats will win in North Carolina.
