David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, suggested that “liberal voters” in Asheville, North Carolina, would find a means to cast their ballots despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Helene, whereas voters supporting Trump might not do so.

In a discussion on the podcast Hacks on Tap, Axelrod addressed the impact of Hurricane Helene, highlighting the significant rainfall and flooding that affected areas like Asheville in western North Carolina, which resulted in considerable displacement. He characterized North Carolina as the “second most rural state” in the nation.

“Here’s my question about North Carolina, you had these killer storms, which by the way was a third big story this week,” Axelrod said. “And, there’s a lot of displacement in western North Carolina. Now, Asheville is a blue dot.”

Axelrod further characterized the electorate in Asheville as “upscale, kind of liberal voters” who would “figure out a way to vote.”