The NCGOP Convention on Saturday is drawing some high profile speakers to Greenville, including the former President Donald Trump.

The event is being held at the Greenville Convention Center. We are live-blogging the event.

One of the first speakers is Rep. Virginia Foxx, representing North Carolina’s 5th District.

12:25 p.m.: Virginia Foxx is speaking. “Most people in Washington will tell you that the North Carolina delegation punches its weight. We work very hard together, and we’re all working for the entire state. We are all very optimistic about taking back the House.”

“We’re not going to let the Far Left take this country from us.”

“We’ve got to double down in 2022.”

12:30 p.m.: Kristi Noem speaking. The room standing up for applause.

“You send amazing people to Washington in your delegation. Not governors…,” and the crowd laughed.

“There’s no women’s issues in this country. What there is is a woman’s perspective on every issue.”

“I’m going to help you get a new governor.” The room explodes in applause.

Another moment of applause. “I believe that when leaders overstep their powers, that’s when we break this country.”

“That’s right,” an audience member said in agreement.

“American people are hungry for hope, she said just now. “And what they’re hungry for is the Republican Party.”

“The media used fear to control people. And the Left used their agenda. I watched people across this country just roll over.”

Noem is urging more political involvement and also more open communication between people who have different views.

Noem just finished her remarks. “God bless you. God bless North Carolina and the state of South Dakota. Thank you.”

BREAK: Legislators, candidates, delegates and organizations are mingling while media is off campus. We will be back for Trump’s speech at 7 p.m.

6:15 p.m.: Press are back in the convention center. The crowd is mingling. The music is starting to kick in to some of Trump’s campaign playlist, which liked Michael Jackson. “Billie Jean” playing right now.

7:07 p.m.: Trump isn’t here yet. Choice quote from the pastor earlier: “Ladies and gentlemen, Judas was a Democrat.”

North Carolina has been one of Trump’s most visited states. In the run-up to Election 2020, he came to the Tar Heel state five times after the rally in Greenville in October, making it a total of 13 campaign visits to the state.

North Carolina was also the first place Trump visited within the 100-day mark leading up to Election Day. That was to tour Fujifilm’s COVID-19 biotech facility in Morrisville.

8 p.m.: NCGOP Chairman Michael Whatley speaking now.

Touting Trump’s initiatives during his presidency.

“Promises made, promises kept,” Whatley. “He stemmed the tide of illegal immigration that Biden has unleashed now.”

“We’ve never seen a president that did more to put America first than our 45th president, Donald J. Trump.”

Trump arrives and all the mobile phones come out.

“Remember, stick together,” Trump says. “They play very tough, very dirty,” he said of Democrats.

Lara Trump takes the stage and says she won’t run for Senate seat.

Ted Budd: “We’ve got a lot of hard work ahead and let’s get back to making America great again.”

Trump speaking, touting his work on COVID-19 vaccine, then on job creation: “The Biden administration seems to be putting America last. The day one rejection of the Keystone pipeline. Why would you do that? It’s great and they ended that. On day one.”

“We cracked down on sanctuary cities, deported criminals and dealt a crippling blow to MS-13.”

Trump says Democrats have systematically dismantled the sovereign borders of the southern U.S.

“Everybody was taking advantage of us. We had an agreement (with Mexico.) Stay in Mexico, not come to the United States.”

“The border is just the beginning of the Biden disasters.” Trump spoke of the economy and energy independence. “All Joe Biden had to do was sit back and do nothing. Instead, the economy is going to hell and the inflation is going to cause a catastrophe.”

On Biden’s trillion-dollar infrastructure bill: “That’s not infrastructure. That’s a lot of things you don’t want.”

“The radical left movement in New York, there’s no place where it’s worst or more corrupt.” Trump talks of the Left weaponizing the law to go after good people in order to get to Trump.

“It’s a disgrace to our country.”

“I’m not the one trying to undermine Democracy. I’m trying to save it.”

Trump ends his speech with a rousing summary of goals. The crowd cheers, and “YMCA” starts playing.