President Joe Biden is set to visit North Carolina this week, where he will highlight a significant investment of $82 million aimed at providing high-speed internet to 16,000 households and businesses. The President's visit to North Carolina is of particular significance as his reelection campaign has identified the state, with its 16 electoral votes, as a top priority in the upcoming presidential election. In the 2020 election, Biden narrowly lost North Carolina to then-President Donald Trump by a margin of 1.34 percentage points. With Trump currently leading the Republican front-runner position for the 2024 election, a potential rematch between the two is highly anticipated.

During his visit to Raleigh, the state capital, President Biden intends to emphasize his administration's commitment to bridging the digital divide and connecting underserved communities and businesses to the digital economy. The President aims to address concerns over the economy, which has been a weak point for his administration due to the surge in inflation experienced in June 2022, reaching a four-decade high. Despite a subsequent decrease in inflation rates, Biden's approval ratings have yet to fully recover to their initial levels at the start of his presidency.

To alleviate the financial burden on families, the Biden administration has implemented measures such as providing discounted internet services to 880,000 households in North Carolina. Furthermore, the administration has pledged a total of $3 billion to expand and support internet connectivity throughout the state. According to estimates from the administration, an additional 300,000 residents in North Carolina will gain access to the internet by the end of 2026 as a result of these efforts.

President Biden's visit to North Carolina not only underscores the importance his campaign places on winning the state's electoral votes but also highlights his administration's dedication to addressing the digital divide and promoting economic inclusivity. By investing in high-speed internet infrastructure and providing discounted services, the President aims to ensure that all communities can participate in the digital economy and have equal access to opportunities.