North Carolina gubernatorial candidates Josh Stein and Mark Robinson came to Wilmington on Thursday to outline their platforms and answer audience questions at the Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s Power Breakfast.

The event took place in the early stages of what’s expected to be a hotly contested campaign being watched closely in political circles on the state and national level.

This was the first time Stein and Robinson addressed a crowd in person at the same event.

The format of Thursday’s event allotted each candidate 10 minutes to speak followed by a roughly 20-minute period of audience questions that covered topics ranging from housing affordability and teacher salaries to entrepreneurial growth and classroom materials. (See videos from the candidates' talks below.)

Stein, the Democratic nominee, addressed the audience first Thursday. Stein currently serves as North Carolina’s attorney general, a position he has held since 2017. Previously, he served as a state senator and as the senior deputy attorney general in the North Carolina Department of Justice.

“I am running for governor because I love our home state, and I believe in the promise of North Carolina,” he said, “that if you work hard, where you come from should never limit how far you can go.”

For Stein, that means ensuring the economy “works for everyone” and distributing economic opportunities across the state through infrastructure investments, ranging from broadband and water and sewer lines to roads, railroads, ports, airports and bridges.

“That's how we keep North Carolina moving,” Stein said.

He also underscored the importance of a “good education” and advocated for teacher pay raises. Stein touted his efforts as attorney general to combat the opioid crisis, eliminate a backlog of rape kits and advocate for those impacted by contaminated drinking water in North Carolina.

Stein said the state needs to “steer clear” of “the job-killing culture wars," which he said are bad for both people and business.

The election will pit two visions of North Carolina’s future against one another, Stein said.

“This November, the voters are going to have an incredibly stark choice between two competing visions … ours is forward-looking and welcoming,” he said. “Fundamentally, it is about opportunity – opportunity to succeed no matter who you are or where you're from.”

Speaking second, Robinson began by highlighting his Greensboro roots and a local personal connection – his mother was born in Burgaw.  

“My mom set a huge standard for me in my life,” Robinson said. “My mom, when my father died, had the opportunity to live off of government assistance, but she chose work, and she showed me that … whether or not you're willing to work is a determining factor in success or failure.”

Robinson, the Republican candidate, has served as North Carolina’s lieutenant governor since 2021. He previously worked in the furniture manufacturing industry.

On Thursday, he said his campaign is “laser-focused on the substantive issues that face all North Carolinians,” including the economy and education system, which Robinson views as the top issues.

Robinson said he wants to put in place state employees who work to change the culture inside government agencies and strive to make government more efficient and effective.

“We are not supposed to take the guardrails those agencies put up and turn them into barriers,” he said. “All too often in politics that’s what happens.”

He also advocated for spreading economic opportunities more broadly across the state and ensuring access to quality education and career readiness training for North Carolina students. 

Robinson advocated for parents to be “in charge of their children's educational destiny” and said changes must occur inside the classroom.

“There's entirely too much agenda packed into the classroom,” he said. “We need to get back to classical education folks, teaching our children to read and write and do mathematics. We need to start teaching them history and civics and financial literacy. We need to get back to teaching our children to be proud to be Americans again”

During the question period, Robinson spoke in support of teacher raises, lowering taxes, removing unnecessary government regulation and taking what he called “highly objectionable materials” out of classrooms.

“We're going to be laser-focused on those substantive issues that will take North Carolina to its next great heights,” Robinson said. “We are headed in the right direction in this state. We just need to fill in one crucial seat to make sure we keep doing it.”

The gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on Nov. 5.

Watch Democratic gubernatorial​ candidate Josh Stein speak at the Power Breakfast here: 

 


Watch Republican gubernatorial​ candidate Mark Robinson speak at the Power Breakfast here: