CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the race for North Carolina governor, polls show Attorney General Josh Stein is ahead of Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson by 15 points.
Robinson's campaign is surrounded by controversy amid fallout from the CNN investigation and a new lawsuit alleging he owes a polling service more than $100,000. However, Stein told WCNC Charlotte on Thursday he believes the race could come much closer than polls are showing.
Here's a closer look at where the candidates stand on key issues in North Carolina:
Abortion Rights
Robinson spoke with WCNC Charlotte anchor Ben Thompson on Flashpoint on Oct. 17. When asked his stance on abortion, he said he pushed for a six-week ban with exceptions for rape and incest, "but what came off of [the legislature's] table was 12 weeks with exceptions for rape and incest and as a person of faith, I'm fine with that," Robinson said.
Stein’s campaign says as governor, he would veto any efforts by the legislature to criminalize women’s reproductive freedoms. Stein is currently part of a court case attempting to make the abortion pill more accessible.
The Economy
A big part of both candidates' campaigns is lowering costs for North Carolinians.
"It's about fighting for a safer, stronger North Carolina, which means a lot of different things," Stein said on Flashpoint Thursday. "It's the economy that works for everybody with costs lowered."
At his Wednesday rally in Ellerbe, Robinson said, "our plan is to continue to work with that legislature, pass great legislation, make wise investments, and grow this state like never before."
Helene Recovery
Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina just over a month before the election. Response and recovery efforts have become a key topic of debate among candidates.
"We gotta make sure that folks have help getting housing because so many people lost their homes," Stein said. "We gotta make sure that we're giving businesses the kind of relief that they can actually use to restart. We gotta make sure that we extended and increased unemployment benefits."
Robinson has strongly criticized Governor Roy Cooper’s response to the storm. In response, Cooper accused Robinson of spreading disinformation.
"During [Cooper's] slow response, we were actually on the ground Saturday, Sunday, and Monday delivering supplies, taking them on and off of trucks and airplanes and delivering them directly to the people who need them," Robinson said.
Stein has strong support from Vice President Kamala Harris and spoke at her rally in Raleigh on Wednesday. In March, former President Donald Trump endorsed Robinson. However, when asked this month if he’d keep supporting him, Trump told reporters he’s not familiar with the race.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.