The North Carolina Democratic Party’s virtual State Convention drew record attendance from almost 2,300 people across the state on Saturday.

With just under 5 months until Election Day, the Convention included appearances from Presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden, the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II and Governor Roy Cooper. Cheri Beasley, Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, and DNC Chair Tom Perez also addressed participants.

“The enthusiasm and record-breaking attendance for Saturday’s State Convention are just the latest indication of the widespread grassroots support for our Party’s agenda as we head towards November,” said NCDP Chairman Wayne Goodwin. “North Carolina Democrats are fired up and clear eyed about the stakes in this election. The road to the White House, Congressional majorities and fair maps for voters runs directly through the Tar Heel State, and over the next five months we’ll continue to fundraise, organize and mobilize a coalition that will flip North Carolina blue up and down the ballot in November.”

Many speakers addressed the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing demonstrations across the country in opposition to systemic racism and discrimination.

“We are seeing the outcry that love demands, justice demands and truth demands,” said the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, architect of the Moral Mondays movement and co-chair of the Poor Peoples’ Campaign. “Accepting death, accepting policies that cause death is no longer acceptable.”

North Carolina is set to be the marquee battleground of the 2020 election cycle, with key races at the Presidential, Senate, Gubernatorial and State Legislative levels. After reclaiming the Governor’s office and breaking Republican supermajorities in 2016 and 2018 respectively, North Carolina Democrats are on the cusp of retaking majorities in the General Assembly for the first time in a decade.

To date, the North Carolina Democratic Coordinated Campaign has more than 50 full-time organizers deployed across the state and has recruited nearly 1,200 volunteers for phone banking.