North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a scandal-plagued Republican, in the state’s gubernatorial race, NBC News projects, keeping his seat in Democratic hands.
Stein was the clear favorite to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in the battleground state after a campaign defined by Robinson’s long-running inflammatory statements.
In September CNN reported on this Robinson made comments on the porn website more than a decade ago, calling himself a “black Nazi”, saying he supported the abolition of slavery and talking about sexually suggestive stories, including a memory of him “eyeing” women during a gym shower. he was 14 years old.
Robinson denied writing the comments. But in the days after the CNN story was published, several key staff members resigned from his campaign, and the Republican Governors Association confirmed it would not run ads supporting Robinson. Former President Donald Trump did not endorse Robinson, but did not appear on the campaign trail with him after the report.
Democrats have already used Robinson’s past controversial statements to make extreme statements on abortion, education and LGBTQ issues.
Speaking to supporters after the race was announced, Robinson conceded defeat by bringing to the attention of the media past comments he had collected during the campaign.
“It’s not about lies. It’s not about half-truths,” he said about his failed campaign. It’s about people who believe in you.”
“I’m standing here strong and proud – glad I ran a fair and decent race,” Robinson said.
“Winning pleases God, and sometimes you have to lose to please God,” Robinson said.
Stein’s campaign ran ads highlighting Robinson’s 2018 comments on his personal Facebook page calling abortion “murder” and “genocide.”
In other Facebook live comments from 2019, Robinson said abortion “It is not about protecting the lives of mothers. … It’s about killing a child because you weren’t responsible enough to lower your skirt.”
Democrats also pointed to comments Robinson made in a 2023 call to public school teachers “bad people” and asks parents not to send their children to public schools.
Stein’s victory was boosted by women voters, college-educated voters and independents, a key group needed for battlefield victories.
According to an NBC News exit poll, 61 percent of the state’s independent voters voted for Stein, compared to just 35 percent for Robinson.
Another 13% of Republicans crossed party lines to vote for Stein, far more than the number of Democrats who said they voted for Robinson — just 2%.
While 63% of women voters in the state voted for Stein, only 34% of women voted for Robinson. The result was more evenly split among men, with 50% of male voters voting for Stein and 47% of male voters voting for Robinson.
Stein, who previously served in the state Senate, will become North Carolina’s first Jewish governor.
He campaigned on plans to improve K-12 education in the state by investing in teachers and addressing school staffing shortages. He was also vocal in his campaign against the state’s 12-week abortion ban.
Stein cited her work as attorney general to clear thousands of untested rape cases and work with other state attorneys general to negotiate settlements with prescription opioid distributors amid the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.
Adam Edelman contributed.