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Four years ago, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper ran for reelection against Lt. Gov. Dan Forest in what seemed then to be an extraordinarily consequential election. Forest, an extreme Republican, represented a dangerous and uncaring spirit that plagued his party in North Carolina and across the country under then-President Donald Trump.

Cooper won in 2020, but that threat remains, perhaps more than ever. The 2024 race for North Carolina governor includes a Republican frontrunner, Mark Robinson, who is more virulently extreme than any statewide candidate in memory. He is aproud election denier with a history of bigoted and outlandish remarks, and few in his party are willing to criticize him for it.

The 2024 governor’s race is, once again, an opportunity for voters to determine what direction they want for their state. They have the opportunity to choose candidates, regardless of party, who would provide principled leadership and public integrity. Here are our recommendations in the Democratic and Republican primaries:

Democratic primary

With Cooper completing his second and final term, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is vying for the Democratic nod against former state Supreme Court justice Mike Morgan. Also running are Democrats Chrelle Booker, Marcus Williams and Gary Foxx.

We recommendJosh Stein.

It might seem like Stein has been running for governor long before he declared last year. He’s been outspoken on a number of issues on Twitter/X over the years, and he’s occasionally appeared careful on issues that might hurt him politically, including when his office didn’t proactively speak out or counsel againstUNC’s ill-advised Silent Sam dealwith the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Mostly, though, Stein has been a strong voice and active attorney general on voting rights, reproductive rights, the opioid epidemic and a number of consumer issues. He’s sued polluters and held e-cigarette manufacturer Juul accountable. He’s effectively tackled an inexcusable backlog of rape kits in North Carolina.

Stein also represents his party’s best chance to defeat Robinson, and he recognizes what’s at stake, both in this race and for his state. He is the clear choice in the Democratic primary.

Republican primary

Voters in the GOP primary have three choices: Robinson, Salisbury attorney and businessmanBill Graham, and two-term North Carolina treasurerDale Folwell. Graham, a later entry in the race, could provide Republicans a conservative choice without Robinson’s baggage, but he has a lack of experience in public office and has made some odd and impractical proposals, including a Parents Board of Education in each North Carolina school district.

We recommendDale Folwell. The former state representative and Speaker Pro Tempore has been a capable treasurer and effective steward of the state healthcare plan. He’s taken on — with limited success — the lack of transparency in hospital pricing, but his doggedness on the issue reflects an admirable commitment to regular North Carolinians that shows up regularly in his public dealings.

We’veworried in the past that Folwell is a contrarian who favors dramatic reversals of the status quo, including his support of flipping the administration of a portion of the State Health Plan (SHP) that serves a half-million teachers and state employees. And while we appreciate that his independent streak can annoy both Democrats and Republicans in the state legislature, his unvarnished style might not be the best fit for a role so dependent on the pulpit

We believe, however, that Folwell can grow into the governor’s job. Voters in the Republican primary can be certain that he’s a solid conservative who would be attentive to how state government serves its constituents in their everyday lives. Importantly, he, too, recognizes what’s at stake in his primary and this election.

“I’m running against a person who is history’s latest example of someone trying to rise to power through hate,” Folwell said of Robinson, adding. “That is not the Republican Party that I stand for.”

We hope primary voters feel the same.

This story was originally publishedFebruary 18, 2024 at 5:00 AM.