Josh Stein, the Democratic nominee for governor of North Carolina, has received accolades from both sides of the political spectrum.
Stein, the state’s current attorney general, is running for governor against Republican lieutenant governor Mark Robinson. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is approaching the conclusion of his second term, and the law prohibits him from serving a third.
Stein’s campaign announced on Wednesday that he had gained the endorsement of Republican former State Senator Richard Stevens and other Republican leaders. He intends to release a longer list of Republican endorsers during a press conference in Raleigh on Thursday morning.
A representative for the Robinson campaign did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Stevens, Wake County’s former county manager, served five terms in the state Assembly before quitting in 2012. After winning a majority in the General Assembly in 2011, Republican leaders appointed Stevens as budget chairman.
Republican Senate leader Phil Berger lauded Stevens after he resigned from the state, calling him “a dedicated public servant whose budgetary expertise, tireless work ethic, and ability to work across the aisle made him a successful and effective legislator.”
Stein’s statement comes only one week after a WRAL News poll revealed that conservatives are becoming supportive of her. In the most recent WRAL poll, 20% of conservative respondents favored Stein, up from 14% in the previous March poll. Of those who expect to vote for former President Donald Trump in the presidential election, 11% want to vote for Stein in the gubernatorial contest.
The poll found Stein with a 14-point edge against Robinson among all respondents.