North Carolina just did something it hasn't done in decades. While the rest of the country was glued to a nail-biter presidential race, the north carolina governor election results came in like a tidal wave. Josh Stein didn't just win; he absolutely demolished the competition in a way that’s honestly reshaped how we look at "purple" state politics.
He snagged over three million votes. That’s more than any candidate in the history of statewide elections in North Carolina. Think about that for a second. In a year where Donald Trump carried the state, a Democrat managed to flip the script so hard that he won by nearly 15 points.
The Landslide by the Numbers
If you’re looking for the raw data, the gap is pretty staggering. Josh Stein pulled in 3,069,496 votes, which accounts for roughly 54.9% of the total. On the flip side, Mark Robinson trailed way behind with 2,241,309 votes, landing at about 40.1%.
This wasn't some narrow escape. This was the largest margin of victory for any governor in this state since Jim Hunt back in 1980. We’re talking about a 14.8 percentage point lead. In the world of modern politics, that’s basically a blowout. Stein even managed to win over independent voters by a 23% margin, according to exit polls. That’s usually where elections are won or lost, and Stein basically owned that territory.
What Really Happened with the North Carolina Governor Election Results
You might be wondering how a state that went for Trump at the top of the ticket could swing so violently the other way for governor. It’s a weird North Carolina tradition called "ticket splitting," but this time it was on steroids.
Basically, the Republican candidate, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, had a rough go of it. Early on, it was a tight race. Then, reports started surfacing about some pretty wild comments he’d allegedly made on a pornographic forum years ago. He denied them, of course, but the damage was done. His campaign staff resigned in droves, and even the national GOP started backing away.
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Stein, meanwhile, just kept his head down and leaned into his record as Attorney General. He talked about clearing the rape kit backlog and going after big pharma over the opioid crisis. It was a "boring" strategy compared to the chaos on the other side, but clearly, boring sells when people are tired of the drama.
Breaking Down the County Flips
The most fascinating part of the north carolina governor election results is the map. Robinson became the first Republican gubernatorial candidate since 1976 who failed to flip a single county.
Stein didn't just hold the blue strongholds like Charlotte (Mecklenburg) and Raleigh (Wake). He started encroaching on places Democrats haven't touched in a generation. He won counties like Cabarrus, which hasn't gone blue for governor since 1980. He took Alamance and Transylvania, which have been red territory since 2004.
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Turnout was high, too—around 73.7%. While that’s a tiny bit lower than the record-breaking 2020 numbers, the sheer volume of ballots cast shows that North Carolinians were incredibly engaged. People didn't just stay home; they showed up and specifically chose to split their votes between parties.
Why This Matters for 2026 and Beyond
Josh Stein is now the first Jewish governor in North Carolina history. That’s a huge milestone. But beyond the history-making, there’s a massive shift in power happening.
Because Stein won by such a massive margin, he actually helped other Democrats down-ballot. Mo Green won the Superintendent race, and Jeff Jackson (the guy everyone knows from TikTok) is the new Attorney General. The "Council of State" is a lot bluer than people expected it to be.
However, it’s not all sunshine and roses for the new governor. The Republican-led General Assembly has already started moving to strip some of his powers before he even got his feet under the desk. We've seen this movie before in North Carolina. When Roy Cooper won in 2016, the legislature did the exact same thing. It looks like Stein is heading into a four-year-long wrestling match with the folks across the street at the State House.
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Actionable Insights for North Carolina Voters
If you're trying to keep up with what this means for your daily life, here’s what you need to keep an eye on:
- Watch the Veto Pen: Stein has promised to protect abortion access and increase public school funding. Since the GOP doesn't have a supermajority in the same way they used to, Stein’s veto actually carries some weight now.
- Education Funding: Keep an eye on the "Leandro Plan." Stein is a big proponent of fully funding public schools, and with Mo Green as Superintendent, they might actually be able to move the needle if they can find some common ground with the legislature.
- Local Elections Matter: The fact that Stein won counties like Franklin and Jackson shows that the rural-urban divide isn't as permanent as we thought. If you live in those areas, your local town council and school board races are going to be more competitive than ever.
The north carolina governor election results proved that the state is still the ultimate battleground. It’s a place where voters are willing to look at the individual person rather than just the letter next to their name.
To stay involved, make sure you are registered for the upcoming 2026 midterms by visiting the North Carolina State Board of Elections website. You can also track the progress of new bills and Governor Stein's executive orders through the official North Carolina General Assembly dashboard to see if he's actually delivering on those campaign promises.