North Carolina Voters Decide on Successor to Term-Limited Gov. Roy Cooper

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, voters in North Carolina cast their ballots to select a new governor to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. The election pitted two prominent figures against each other: Josh Stein, the state’s attorney general, and Mark Robinson, the lieutenant governor.

Josh Stein, who aims to continue the policies of Gov. Cooper, has been a strong advocate for public education, clean energy initiatives, and civil rights. Stein, who could become the state’s first Jewish governor if elected, has highlighted his work in safeguarding citizens from environmental pollution, exploitative student loans, and excessive electricity costs during his tenure as attorney general.

Mark Robinson, known for his straightforward rhetoric and appeal to staunch conservatives, has focused his campaign on enhancing rural economies, supporting law enforcement and educators, and replacing what he terms ‘political indoctrination’ in public schools with fundamental skills instruction. If elected, Robinson would make history as the first Black governor of North Carolina.

The campaign was marked by significant challenges, particularly for Robinson, who faced controversy over past comments and a CNN report revealing explicit racial and sexual comments he allegedly made on a pornography website’s message board over a decade ago. This led to the resignation of many of his campaign staff and a decline in outside funding support.

Despite these challenges, both candidates remained active in the final weeks of the campaign, with Stein taking a prominent role in storm-related press conferences following Hurricane Helene and Robinson collaborating with local law enforcement to gather relief supplies. The hurricane’s impact added another layer of complexity to the already fiercely contested and costly gubernatorial race.

The election outcome will determine the direction of North Carolina’s governance, with Democrats having held the governor’s mansion for all but four years since 1993, despite Republican dominance in the state legislature and appeals courts).