North Carolina was a ‘bright spot’ for Democrats, governor-elect says

After prevailing in a state that went for Republican Donald Trump, Democratic Gov.-elect Josh Stein said that his service as North Carolina’s attorney general gave voters confidence and called the Tar Heel state a “bright spot” for Democrats on election night.

Stein told ABC’s “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl that Kamala Harris ran a “strong campaign,” but was hindered by a condensed timeline and “tough national mood.”

“It was an unfortunate night for Democrats across this country, but North Carolina was a bright spot,” Stein said. ” And we’re proud of what we accomplished here.”

Fresh off his gubernatorial victory, Stein pointed to Democrats winning North Carolina’s secretary of state and attorney general races. As North Carolina’s current attorney general, he defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, whose campaign was plagued by allegations of past racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic comments.

Stein outperformed Harris in North Carolina, winning 55% of the vote to Harris’ 48%. In the statehouse, Democrats won enough seats to stave off a Republican supermajority. Stein heavily outraised his opponent and used social media to highlight Robinson’s incendiary remarks.

While Democrats have won eight of the last nine gubernatorial races in the Tar Heel state, Barack Obama was the last Democrat to take North Carolina in 2008.

Asked to explain his swing state victory, Stein said his campaign was about “fighting for every person.”

“Voters had a really clear choice,” said Stein. “Our vision was positive and forward-looking.”

He pointed to a focus on public safety, education and personal freedoms, including voting rights and reproductive rights. Stein also said his position as attorney general lent a familiarity with voters.

“I think the fact that I had a track record of delivering for the people of North Carolina as their attorney general helped give them confidence in knowing that I wasn’t just speaking words, but that I would work hard every day to deliver,” Stein said.

Stein has promised to govern in a bipartisan way. In his victory speech, he spoke about the importance of working across the aisle since “no person or party has a monopoly on good ideas.”

He spoke about Hurricane Helene recovery efforts across North Carolina and his recent visit to Washington to advocate for relief funding alongside Republican legislators. Stein said he is “eager” to work with the Trump administration to provide relief.

Pressed on his biggest fear in a second Trump term, Stein pointed to the president-elect’s selection of hardliner Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Patel is one of Trump’s fiercest defenders and has said he would turn the FBI into a museum for the “Deep State.”

“I want somebody who respects the rule of law,” Stein said. “And [Patel’s] nomination for the FBI does not give me confidence that that’s a top priority,”

Asked about Trump’s promise of mass deportations, Stein said that it’s “not a priority” to deport law-abiding citizens.

“They are instrumental to our communities, they are instrumental to our economy,” he said.

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