Presidential candidate Ben Carson visits Port City, talks with WWAY

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A major candidate for president was in the Cape Fear Friday.

Republican Ben Carson held a private fundraiser at a home near Wrightsville Beach.

He arrived at the Wilmington International Airport around 3 p.m. WWAY caught up with the candidate as he got off the plane. He said he is confident in his campaign, and they are making a lot of progress despite what the polls say.

One topic the interview focused on was the threat of terrorism and what we can do here in the United States. The Republican had a few ideas on how to promote safety and stop terrorism. He said we should secure both our borders, monitor online recruitment, and work with moderate Muslims.

Carson added, however, that he’d never go as far as closing the country to Muslims.

“I would never advocate doing something on a religious basis like that. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t called for a declaration of war on ISIS, and it doesn’t mean that I haven’t called upon our government to create an interagency group that revamps our visa policy and our immigration policy,” Carson said.

“We obviously have to recognize that we’re in a war, but doing that on a religious basis I don’t think fits very well with the American spirit.”

According to this campaign website, Carson hosted a private fundraiser at the home of Jimmy and Libby Neil along the intracoastal waterway near Wrightsville Beach. People were able to attend as guests for $250, and as VIPs for $1,000. It started at 6 p.m.