Attorney General Josh Stein is projected to win the North Carolina gubernatorial race. The Associated Press called the race around 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, less than two hours after polls closed in the state.

Stein ran on a platform of funding public schools, addressing housing affordability, supporting veterans and small businesses and protecting reproductive rights, including access to in vitro fertilization, or IVF.

Stein’s early victory is of no surprise to most after his Republican opponent Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson was the subject of controversy for online comments reported by CNN in which he referred to himself as a “Black Nazi.” 

Stein celebrated his win in a speech, saying he ran for governor because of his love for his home state of North Carolina.

“We chose hope over hate, competence over chaos, decency over division,” Stein said. “That’s who we are as North Carolinians, and I am so honored that you have elected me to be your next governor.”

Gov. Roy Cooper spoke in support of Stein shortly after news broke and preceded Stein on stage, saying Stein has a “servant’s heart.”

“We needed a person with integrity and grit,” Cooper said. “We needed a person who will work with anyone to get the job done. We needed a person who will never back down from doing the right thing. We need a person who would blaze his own trails, and we got that tonight.”

In a speech to his supporters, Robinson said he was proud to have run a race that was “upright and decent” and where he “did not have to lie.”

“I’m not sad one lick, but I’m a little disappointed,” Robinson said. “I’m disappointed for you, because I wanted this so bad for you. I wanted this for the people of North Carolina, not for me.”

Stein emphasized his desire to work across party lines during his term.

“If I didn’t earn your vote, I hope to earn your trust by working hard for you as governor,” Stein said. “I pledge to listen and work across party lines to do what’s right for North Carolina, because no person or party has a monopoly on good ideas.”

Stein is North Carolina’s first Jewish governor. This is the third election in a row North Carolina has elected a Democratic governor. In both 2016 and 2020, North Carolina split the ballot by electing Cooper but seeing Trump win the state’s electoral votes.

With 97% of the votes counted as of Nov. 6, Stein garnered just under 55% of the vote with over three million ballots casted for him.

This story was updated at 5:56 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2024 to reflect the number of votes Stein received.