GEOFF BENNETT: Turning our focus# now to the 2024 race for president,## both candidates were out on the campaign# trail today laying out their plans to tackle## one of the most consequential issues# of this election.

That's the economy.

Vice President Kamala Harris was in Pennsylvania# and Donald Trump campaigned in North Carolina.

And that's where our Lisa# Desjardins has been reporting.

LISA DESJARDINS: Today, two battleground states,# two battling visions for America's economy.

KAMALA HARRIS, Vice President of the United# States (D) and U.S. Presidential Candidate: I## intend to chart## a new way forward and grow America's middle class.# Donald Trump intends to take Americ.. LISA DESJARDINS: Vice President# Kamala Harris' came in a speech to## the Economic Club of Pittsburgh.

She# played up what she calls a pragmatic## approach and pledged policies# to boost domestic manufacturing.

Her proposals largely include# tax shifts and incentives,## such as a $50,000 tax deduction for new# small businesses.

Other ideas, she says,## will pick up where President# Biden's economic agenda leaves off.

KAMALA HARRIS: A survey of top# economists by The Financial Times## and the University of Chicago found that# by an overwhelming 70 to 3 percent margin,## my plan would be better for keeping inflation low.

LISA DESJARDINS: Just hours earlier... DONALD TRUMP, Former President (R) and Current U... LISA DESJARDINS: ... former President Donald Trump# outlined his economic plan, including tariffs## and a push for American businesses to keep jobs# here at a factory in Mint Hill, North Carolina.

DONALD TRUMP: I will give you the lowest taxes,# the lowest energy costs, I will cut your energy in## half, the lowest regulatory burden and free access# to the best and biggest market on the planet## Earth, but only if you make your product here in# America and hire American workers for the job.

LISA DESJARDINS: It comes at a# time when the economy consistently## tops the polls as one of the# most important issues for voters.

DONALD TRUMP: Forty-one days from now, we# are going to win the state of North Carolina.

LISA DESJARDINS: The location is politically# powerful.

Near the bottom of the state,## Mint Hill has a suburb of Charlotte between# two powerhouse counties, Mecklenburg,## a population center that voted 67 percent# for Biden in 2020, but next door is Union,## the largest county that Trump won in# 2020.

It voted for him 61 percent.

Both counties are fast growing and business# centers.

Industrial parks keep popping up.

Colin Hughes and his wife opened this# coffee shop in Mint Hill over a year ago,## a risk, but one that's paid off.

COLIN HUGHES, Coffee Shop Owner: We have# been in business for a little over a year,## year-and-a-half, and we haven't gone down# yet in a month.

Last year at this time,## we had four employees.

Now we have 10.

So, for us,## the only thing I can really speak on# is how we're doing here and how our## other friends are doing up and down this trip.# And, yes, things are going really well for us.

LISA DESJARDINS: But the economy here# has not been as bright for everyone.

Nina Harrill is a Trump supporter.

NINA HARRILL, Voter: I lost my job during# COVID, and things were getting really good## when Trump was in.

But right after he went# out, it's like everything started going south,## and my company that had been in# business for 80 years went under.

So, I'd been at my job 25 years# and lost my job after all that.

LISA DESJARDINS: She now works at a Chick-fil-A,## where she has seen customers cut back,# adults buying kids' meals to save money.

She's all in on Trump because she thinks the# country is on a downward track.

We also asked Nina## about the Republican candidate for governor, Mark# Robinson, and the bombshell report last week from## CNN asserting that he previously posted a litany# of offensive comments on a porn site, including## that he was a Nazi, that slavery should return,# and that he enjoyed watching transgender porn.

As a candidate, Robinson has adamantly# opposed transgender rights.

He maintains## the CNN report is false, that these# are not his words.

Despite pressure## and resignations from top staff,# Robinson has stayed in the race.

A candidate Trump has vigorously embraced# in the past, now the Trump/Vance campaign## avoids talking about Robinson, and he# was not at the event today.

So far,## the Robinson story hasn't impacted# either Nina's vote for Trump or him.

NINA HARRILL: I mean, from just a little# bit that I know to be able to bring up a## past from probably 10 years ago, and it's not# like I know if all that stuff's true or not.

LISA DESJARDINS: But at the# coffee shop after our interview,## she did confront a different doubt# about Trump from someone nearby.

MADISYN BELK, Voter: I don't see Trump# sacrificing anything that he has for his country.

LISA DESJARDINS: Madisyn Belk sees Trump's# relationship with the economy differently,## that he's a billionaire who wants to# continue tax cuts for the wealthy.

MADISYN BELK: He was born# rich and he's for the rich.

GEOFF BENNETT: And Lisa joins us# now from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Lisa, it's great to see you.

So, based on your reporting, how is Donald# Trump'.. LISA DESJARDINS: Republicans like a# lot that's in this plan, in particular,## lower taxes.

Most people like the lower taxes.# There are some, as you heard in the piece,## especially Democrats, who say that he# gives away too much to the wealthy.

But something has happened in the last day about# a key part of Donald Trump's plan.

That's tariffs.## More and more conservative groups are saying they# have concerns, and they're saying this publicly.## Notably, yesterday, the top Republican in the# U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell, came out and said## he's not a fan of tariffs and he went even farther# and said tariffs add cost to American consumers.

That's the opposite of what Donald Trump# has been saying about his tariff plan.

Now,## Mitch McConnell, of course, is someone that# Trump supporters really don't pay a lot of## attention to, but they may be paying attention# to something else that happened this morning.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board came# out with a strong statement also about Trump's## tariff policy.

They wrote: "Hard to# believe, but Donald Trump is giving## U.S. companies a reason to think that Kamala# Harris might be better for their business."

The Wall Street Journal there talking about the# idea that Trump would penalize businesses moving## overseas with tariffs somehow.

As someone told me# this morning, to paraphrase them, if Donald Trump## has a problem with The Wall Street Journal on the# economy, then he has a very big problem indeed.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, let's talk about# North Carolina, a battleground state.

How much does the scandal involving# the GOP candidate for governor,## Mark Robinson, how much does that hurt# Donald Trump's chances of winning?

LISA DESJARDINS: It is the hot# topic of conversation down here,## but people are having it in# quiet ways in their home.

When you talk to Republican officials here, they# tell you on or off the record that they're trying## not to be concerned, but you can really feel their# trepidation.

One Republican official told me,## though, that they think ultimately no one can# hurt Donald Trump, including Donald Trump,## that his fan base is so loyal, they're not# worried about Mark Robinson taking him down.

On the other hand, there# are some who are concerned,## and part of it has to do with voters.

I talked# to one of the voters at this Trump event today,## someone who says they're still voting# for Mark Robinson.

Here's what she said.

KATIE BRIDESON, Republican Voter: I think Mark# Robinson is going through a lot right now,## and I think that these are just allegations,# and I believe that there's a lot that people## can do with A.I.

these days, and we just need to# be careful what we listen to and what we believe.

We 100 percent believe and trust in Jesus# Christ, and we pray for our politicians,## and we hope that Donald Trump and Mark# Robinson are on that path with us.

LISA DESJARDINS: I heard# that from a number of people,## thinking that this couldn't really# be something that happened Mark## Robinson.

They don't trust the CNN# reporting.

They think maybe it's A.I.

There's no reason to think this was A.I.# But there are some Republican officials## who say that is also a problem, that there is# a base that is supporting Mark Robinson, when## they want him to drop out.

They think, as long as# he's on the ballot, there may be some Republican## voters who don't show up at all and they# think that could ultimately hurt Donald Trump.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, as you have been speaking# with voters there across North Carolina,## what's your sense of where folks might be leaning?

LISA DESJARDINS: I really got a strong sense of## place in that community, Mint Hill,# where Donald Trump spoke today.

First of all, the factory he was at has grown in# the last year.

This is a place where the economy## is good.

Feelings are generally good.

Prices# are the problem for Kamala Harris here.

But## this is a community that, honestly, they're# dealing with their divide together in a more## gentle and, shall I say, like, civil# way than I have seen in other places.

There are a lot of people here who say they# don't really like either candidate, what we heard## earlier this year.

They're not comfortable yet# with Kamala Harris.

But when I asked them more,## Geoff, I heard a lot of people tell me they're# less comfortable with Donald Trump.

There are## more people who say: I can't vote for him.

I'm# not sure about her, but I can't vote for him.

And that is why Democrats have so much hope# in this state.

The ground game is going to## matter here.

Turnout will matter, but it is very# much anyone's ball game here in North Carolina.

GEOFF BENNETT: Lisa Desjardins reporting# tonight from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Lisa, thanks so much.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.