Why is North Carolina so stubbornly Republican?

[Pink Panther]

I personally think in 2008, Obama both supercharged black turnout and kept a good chunk of Conservative Rural Whites, with McCain unable to turnout his base. In 2012, however, although being the incumbent, the national environment was much less favorable to him, and since Romney turned out his base and cut into some of those whites mentioned above, he flipped the state. In 2016, although focusing a lot of her campaign on NC, Clinton overall ran a MUCH WORSE CAMPAIGN than Trump, same as 2012 happened, and Trump held onto the state. In 2020, Biden didn't campaign in NC in the slightest, cue 2012, and along with the incumbency, Trump held on. Even though NC has become more diverse and more Left-Wing folks move into the state, better turnout, Conservative Rural Whites flocking to the GOP, and Conservative Retirees moving to the state's coast has sort of neutered Dems chances at winning the state again. However, in all likely hood, there will just be too much Dems moving into the state for NC to remain GOP in the near future.