RALEIGH, N.C. — On Tuesday, Nov. 5, North Carolina voters will choose a new governor. The candidates – Republican Mark Robinson and Democrat Josh Stein.
Republican Mark Robinson goes into the November election after winning every single North Carolina county in the primary. He also won his home of Guilford County by 62% - and took Forsyth County, where his opponent Dale Folwell lives, with 49%.
Robinson said that’s because his message hits home for voters.
“The mission is to grow this state,” Robinson said on primary night. “To grow its economy – from Murphy to Manteo – so every part of this state has economic opportunity. I believe we do that to sustain – that is by having a great education system.”
Robinson grew up in Greensboro as the 9th of 10 kids. In 2018, Robinson gave a speech to the Greensboro City Council about gun rights. Tapes of his speech went viral and launched his political career, and in 2020, he became the first Black lieutenant governor of North Carolina.
In office, Robinson said his main focus has been education and giving parents a voice in the classroom.
Historically in North Carolina, the Attorney General’s office is a stepping stone for candidates to move up to governor. That was the case with current Governor Roy Cooper, who will reach his term limit by the end of 2024.
Current Attorney General Josh Stein is hoping the same will be true for him.
Stein was the clear Democrat winner on Super Tuesday, with 69% of the vote across the state.
In his victory speech, he also focused on the economy and the struggles North Carolinians are feeling daily.
“We must build this economy from the bottom up and middle out, not the top down,” Stein said. “That is how we grow the middle class. The rising cost of housing, gas, groceries, medicine, and other basic needs is making life too expensive for too many families.”
Stein is currently finishing up his second term as Attorney General, where he has worked on clearing North Carolina’s rape kit backlog and took on Big Pharma for opioid settlement money.
Stein grew up in Chapel Hill and graduated from Harvard Law School. If elected North Carolina Governor, he would be the first Jewish person to hold the role.