Second gentleman Doug Emhoff attends Juneteenth event in Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A church in southeast Raleigh was center stage for a high-profile visit.

Word of God Fellowship hosted a prayer breakfast and Juneteenth block party with second gentleman, Doug Emhoff as their special guest.

He was in attendance along with DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison, Governor Roy Cooper, and other elected officials.

Staffers spent the day on Tuesday setting up the fellowship hall in preparation for the breakfast and a stage outside for the block party.

The pastor told ABC11 there is a lot of buzz around this visit.

"The church members, the staff, the team. Everybody is extremely excited to be a part of this occasion and to celebrate Juneteenth, which is a national holiday. We thank God for that because I mean so many people paved the way to make that happen," said Pastor Mitchell Summerfield.

Emhoff spoke in the Triangle on Tuesday about the Biden administration's attempt to remove lead from drinking water around the United States.

After a morning of Juneteenth events, he reminded crowds that it was the Biden-Harris administration that made Juneteenth a federal holiday.

"My wife, the Vice President, thank you, she's called for Juneteenth to be treated as a day of action, a day for people to register to vote, a day to rededicate ourselves to the ongoing fight for freedom," Emhoff said.

He then made his way to Mike D's BBQ on Driver Street in Durham, one of several Black-owned businesses popping up in the Bull City. The restaurant served up a spread of pulled pork, chicken, and mac and cheese for some high-powered guests.

The visit comes as North Carolina is set to play a major role in November, and our Democratic members of Congress have been making the case our state is in play. Emhoff met with two Durham mayors, members of Congress, and DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.

Congresswoman Valerie Foushee hopes Emhoff will drive home the message that the road to the White House runs through our state.

"I think it's clear that he believes that being on the ground, talking with voters, and making sure we understand the importance of each and every vote means a lot to North Carolinians," Foushee said.