(The Center Square) – Even with a whopping 13% still undecided, North Carolina’s race for governor has swung significantly to favor Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, says a new poll this week.
Stein leads Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson 50%-33% in the sampling conducted Monday through Thursday of last week by the East Carolina University Center for Survey Research. Surveyed were 1,005 likely voters, and the pollster said margin of error is +/- 3% with 95% confidence level.
“The recent scandals surrounding Mark Robinson have had a major impact,” said Dr. Peter Francia, director of the ECU Center for Survey Research. “What was once a competitive race in the election for governor of North Carolina no longer is. As of now, Josh Stein is the clear and overwhelming favorite to be the next governor of North Carolina.”
Robinson, on Sept. 19, fell victim to reporting by CNN involving a porn site chat room more than a decade ago long before he rose to viral fame on the strength of speaking to the Greensboro City Council during time for public comments.
Stein would become the first person of Jewish faith to win the office. He also could be the third consecutive Democratic attorney general to ascend to governor, joining Mike Easley (attorney general 1993-2001, governor 2001-09) and Roy Cooper (attorney general 2001-17, governor 2017-present).
The governor’s office – consecutive terms could not be served until the 1977 change in the constitution – has had a Republican only three times since Daniel Lindsay Russell won the 1896 election. James Holshouser couldn’t run for reelection in 1976, Jim Martin won terms in 1984 and ’88, and Pat McCrory was only one term when he lost in 2016 to Cooper by 10,277 votes of more than 4.7 million cast.
Robinson’s support from Republicans has dropped from 83% to 63% since ECU’s Aug. 26-28 poll. Stein’s support from women has risen from 14% to 27%, and from men rose from 4% to 9%.
Stein, Ivy League educated at Dartmouth and Harvard, won election to the state Senate in 2008. He resigned the post in March 2016, successfully campaigning and winning election as the attorney general.
