GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – The east saw another campaign stop as North Carolina remains a key, battleground state with less than 50 days left before Election Day.

Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley stumped for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at East Carolina University, Thursday night.

Gov. O’Malley talked with students and leaders from the east about Clinton’s “New College Compact.” The plan would ensure families with an income less than $125,000 pay no tuition at in-state public colleges and universities. It would also include additional help for historically black colleges and universities and will provide boosted Pell grants on a sliding scale for families who earn more than $125,000.

“College has become like a Lexus lane, like an expensive toll lane for kids while they’re going through it,” said O’Malley who endorsed Clinton after losing in the Democratic primary. “[It] doesn’t need to be that way. Secretary Clinton calls for investments by [the] national government that will in essence make college essentially free.”

The former governor says the college affordability plan allows for the opportunity to refinance debt for those who already owe student loans. Prospective and retrospective income-based re-payment plans are also included.

O’Malley also answered questions from the crowd about other issues including raising the minimum wage, community policing, plans for the Affordable Care Act and equal pay for women.

Tensions continue to rise across the country over police-involved shootings of minorities. In North Carolina, the city of Charlotte saw both peaceful protests and rioting following the killing a black man at the hands of a black police officer. Wesley Gaines, a political science professor at ECU, asked the governor what he thought was the most effective means of community policing and what could presidential hopeful Clinton do from a federal level. O’Malley responded by saying there is a need for “more speed and more transparency” from the police.

He says Clinton supports a national standard for use of force and increased training to determine when it is and when it’s not appropriate. O’Malley went on to say the Democratic presidential nominee advocates for more federal aid for body and dash cams. And at a local level, for all law enforcement departments nationwide to report all police shootings both fatal and non-fatal.

He will continue his part of the campaign trail for Hillary Clinton across our state in Mooresville at a press conference tomorrow.