北卡罗来纳州州长竞选正在成为这个战场州竞争最激烈、最受关注的对决之一。持截然相反观点的主要候选人正在争夺行政大楼的席位，这场竞选可能会为选民在11月大选中的投票站选择开创先例，特别是在联邦一级。
北卡罗莱纳州总检察长乔什·斯坦正在竞争民主党周二的州长提名。与此同时，共和党领跑者、副州长马克·罗宾逊在竞选期间成为保守派的最爱。
周二晚些时候，美国广播公司新闻部预测，根据对投票后民意调查的分析，罗宾逊将赢得共和党提名，斯坦将赢得民主党提名。
这为11月的历史性选举奠定了基础，有可能产生该州的首位犹太或黑人领导人。
州长竞选可能标志着北卡罗莱纳州人对大选的优先考虑。
在过去13次总统选举中，共和党有11次在摇摆州获胜。这个传统上的紫色州在2020年大选中继续保持亲红趋势，特朗普以微弱优势战胜拜登(不到7.5万张选票)。
随着多样化的人口增长，北卡罗来纳州变得更具竞争力。根据2020年美国人口普查在过去的十多年里，北卡罗来纳州的总人口增加了90多万新居民，其中非洲裔美国人(约占12%)、西班牙裔美国人(约占18%)和多种族居民引领了这一增长。随着选票的争夺，民主党和共和党都将目标锁定在2024年选举季的摇摆州。
民主党初选
在民主党方面，斯坦因有很多反对者:前北卡罗来纳州最高法院大法官迈克尔·摩根;北卡罗来纳州泰伦市女市议员Chrelle Booker前北卡罗来纳州普林斯维尔警察局长加里·福克斯;还有马库斯·威廉姆斯律师。
民主党人正准备进行一场艰苦的斗争，以保持州长席位的蓝色。由于共和党控制着该州立法机构的两院，民主党正试图避免共和党三连胜。
即将离任、任期有限的州长罗伊·库珀希望将火炬传递给斯坦。库珀支持斯坦为他的下一任潜在继任者，称他“正直而坚毅地领导着”。
库珀在去年9月发布的一段代言视频中说:“任期限制使我无法再次参选。“但我知道他会加倍重视我们取得的进展。”
斯坦在教堂山和夏洛特长大，毕业于哈佛大学和达特茅斯学院的常春藤联盟。他也是一位著名民权律师的儿子。
斯坦接替库珀担任司法部长，自2017年以来一直担任该职位。他以前是州参议员，在此之前，他担任参议员约翰·爱德华兹的竞选经理和副幕僚长。
Stein倡导消费者保护、环境权利、抗击阿片类药物流行和捍卫妇女获得生殖健康的权利。
在一段竞选视频中，斯坦批评了他的共和党竞争对手此前关于性少数群体+权利的言论以及限制妇女获得生殖保健的企图。
斯坦因在竞选中说:“我竞选州长是因为我相信一个非常不同的北卡罗来纳州。”竞选视频。“一个植根于我们共同的自由、公正和人人享有机会的价值观的价值观。“
共和党初选
相比之下，斯坦的潜在对手副州长马克·罗宾逊得到了保守派的支持。他热情地捍卫第二修正案的权利、执法权，并支持对堕胎的限制。
在周六的格林斯博罗集会上，前总统唐纳德·特朗普支持罗宾逊，称他为“服用类固醇的马丁·路德·金”。
罗宾逊目前是该州共和党2024年州长候选人的主要候选人，他讲述了一个出身卑微的故事。作为格林斯博罗本地人，他是10个孩子中的一个，在贫困中长大。他在制造业工作了几年，然后失业了，他指责北美自由贸易协定消除了他的工作。他在2018年因一部病毒式演讲他向格林斯伯勒市议会捐款支持持枪权。他在2021年创造了历史，成为北卡罗来纳州第一位黑人副州长。
在共和党初选中，罗宾逊将在超级星期二与州财政部长戴尔·福尔韦尔和律师比尔·格雷厄姆争夺选票。
罗宾逊受到了反对者福尔韦尔和格雷厄姆以及其他人的批评，因为他们一直发表有争议的言论和反犹太主义言论。
他还因对性少数群体+人权的严厉观点而受到批评。
期间，他说:“我们将捍卫这个州的女性。”竞选集会在北卡罗来纳州的卡里。“这意味着如果你在周五晚上是一个男人，突然在周六，你觉得自己是一个女人，你想去商场的女厕所，你会被逮捕-或者我们会对你做什么。”
民主党州长协会对罗宾逊被提名为共和党州长候选人的潜在影响表示担忧。
“马克·罗宾逊是一个危险的极端主义者，他想毫无例外地完全禁止堕胎，取消公共教育，并取消数十万北卡罗莱纳州工人获得负担得起的医疗保健的机会，”DGA发言人在一份声明中告诉ABC新闻。“北卡罗莱纳州人民应该有一个保护他们基本自由并让工人家庭生活更好的州长——而不是马克·罗宾逊有毒的极端主义。”
争取支持的最后努力
尽管斯坦和罗宾逊有着明显的差异，但他们有一些共同点，因为如果他们赢得各自的初选并进入11月的大选，他们都可以创造历史。斯坦因可能成为第一位犹太裔州长，罗宾逊可能成为北卡罗来纳州第一位黑人州长。
另外两位候选人迈克·罗斯和香农·布雷也将在周二的自由党初选中对决。
在刚刚过去的这个周末，包括副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯、前总统川普和共和党总统候选人妮基·黑利在内的几位知名政治人物访问了北卡罗莱纳州，在超级星期二之前与当地选民举行集会，以此作为争取双方支持的最后一搏。
North Carolina's governor race could signal how voters may lean in November
The North Carolina gubernatorial race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and closely watched faceoffs in the battleground state. Leading candidates with polar opposite views are vying for the executive mansion seat in a race that could serve as a precedent for voters' choices in the polling booth for the November general election, particularly on the federal level.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is taking on a crowded field all vying for the Democratic Party's nomination for governor on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Republican front-runner Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has become a favorite among conservatives during his campaign.
Later on Tuesday night, ABC News projected that Robinson will win the Republican nomination and Stein will win the Democratic nomination based on analysis of the exit poll.
That sets up a historic November election with the potential for the first Jewish or Black leader of the state.
The governor's race could signal North Carolinians' priorities for the general election.
In 11 of the last 13 presidential elections, Republicans have won in the swing state. The traditionally purple state continued its red-leaning streak in the 2020 general election with Trump winning by a small margin over Biden (fewer than 75,000 votes).
North Carolina has become more competitive with diverse population growth. According to the2020 US census, North Carolina's overall population has added more than 900,000 new residents in more than a decade with African-Americans (about 12 percent), Hispanic (about 18 percent) and multiracial residents leading the growth. With votes up for grabs, both Democrats and Republicans are targeting the swing state in the 2024 election season.
Democratic primary race
On the Democratic side, Stein has a host of opponents: former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Michael Morgan; Tryon, North Carolina, City Councilwoman Chrelle Booker; former Princeville, North Carolina Police Chief Gary Foxx; and attorney Marcus Williams.
Democrats are bracing for a tough fight to keep the governor's seat blue. Since the GOP holds control over both chambers of the state's legislature, Democrats are trying to avoid a GOP trifecta.
Outgoing, term-limited Gov. Roy Cooper is hoping to pass the torch on to Stein. Cooper endorsed Stein as his next potential successor, saying he "leads with integrity and grit."
"Term limits prevent me from running again," Cooper said in an endorsement video released in September last year. "But I know he will double down on the progress that we've made."
Stein, who grew up in Chapel Hill and Charlotte, is an Ivy-League graduate of both Harvard University and Dartmouth College. He is also the son of a prominent civil rights attorney.
Stein succeeded Cooper as attorney general and has served in the position since 2017. He was previously a state senator and prior to that, he worked as a campaign manager and deputy chief of staff for Sen. John Edwards.
Stein advocates for consumer protection, environmental rights, fighting the opioid epidemic and defending women's rights to reproductive health access.
In a campaign video, Stein criticized his Republican rivals for previous remarks on LGBTQ+ rights and attempts to limit access to women's reproductive health care.
"I'm running for governor because I believe in a very different North Carolina," Stein said ina campaign video. "One rooted in our shared values of freedom, justice and opportunity for everyone."
Republican primary race
In contrast, Stein's likely opponent Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has enjoyed conservatives' support. He ardently defends Second Amendment rights, law enforcement and supports restrictions on abortion.
At a Greensboro rally on Saturday, former President Donald Trump endorsed Robinson and referred to him as "Martin Luther King on steroids."
Robinson, currently the state's leading GOP candidate for governor in 2024, tells a story of humble beginnings. A Greensboro native, he was raised as one of 10 children and grew up in poverty. He worked in manufacturing for several years before losing his jobs that he blames the North American Free Trade Agreement for eliminating. He gained name recognition in 2018 for aviral speechhe gave to the Greensboro City Council defending gun rights. He made history in 2021 by becoming the first Black lieutenant governor of North Carolina.
In the Republican primary, Robinson will face off against State Treasurer Dale Folwell and attorney Bill Graham for votes on Super Tuesday.
Robinson has received criticism from opponents Folwell and Graham along with others for a history of controversial statements and antisemitic remarks.
He has also been criticized for his harsh views on LGBTQ+ rights.
"We're going to defend women in this state," he said duringa campaign rallyin Cary, North Carolina. "That means if you're a man on Friday night and all of the sudden on Saturday, you feel like a woman and you want to go in the women's bathroom in the mall, you will be arrested -- or whatever we got to do to you."
The Democratic Governors Association has expressed concerns over the potential impact of Robinson's nomination as the Republican candidate for governor.
"Mark Robinson is a dangerous extremist who wants to completely ban abortion without exceptions, dismantle public education, and roll back access to affordable health care for hundreds of thousands of working North Carolinians," a DGA spokesperson told ABC News in a statement. "North Carolinians deserve a governor who will protect their fundamental freedoms and make life better for working families -- not Mark Robinson's toxic brand of extremism."
Final push for support
Despite their stark differences, Stein and Robinson share something in common as they both could make history if they win their respective primaries and advance to the November election. Stein could become the first Jewish governor and Robinson could become the first Black governor of North Carolina.
Two other candidates, Mike Ross and Shannon Bray will also face-off in the Libertarian Party primary on Tuesday.
In a final push to garner support for both sides this past weekend, several prominent political figures including Vice President Kamala Harris, former president Trump and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley visited North Carolina, hosting rallies with local voters ahead of Super Tuesday.
