NC AG announces run for governor

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D) announced Wednesday that he is running for governor of the state in 2024, becoming the first major candidate to declare their candidacy for the governorship. 

Stein announced his bid to succeed the term-limited Gov. Roy Cooper (D) in a video posted on his Twitter account, saying that he “learned early on that some things are worth fighting for, no matter the opposition.” 

He mentioned an incident in 1971 when the law office of his father, a civil rights attorney, and two of his partners was firebombed as they pushed against discrimination. 

“Today, there’s a different set of bomb throwers who threaten our freedoms and our future while some politicians spark division, ignite hate and fan the flames of bigotry,” Stein said, while the video shows a clip of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. 

The video criticizes North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R), who appears likely to run for the GOP nomination for governor, for comments he made in which he appeared to suggest that women should not serve as political leaders and condemned homosexuality and abortion. 

“Robinson wants to tell you who you can marry, when you’ll be pregnant and who you should hate,” Stein said. “I’m running for governor because I believe in a very different North Carolina. One rooted in our shared values of freedom, justice and opportunity for everyone.” 

Stein told the North Carolina-based digital magazine The Assembly in an interview that the difference between him and Robinson will be a focus of his campaign. 

The video also includes accounts from citizens of North Carolina praising Stein for his actions throughout his time as attorney general, including going after Medicaid fraud, working to address a backlog of unprocessed rape kits and securing a settlement from drug companies over the effects of opioids. 

Cooper has enjoyed a strong favorability rating while serving as governor, but the gubernatorial race will likely be a closely contested election with Democrats and Republicans nationwide devoting much attention to the swing state.