N.C. Gov. Josh Stein delivered a virtual inaugural address Saturday at the State Capitol in Raleigh, where he applauded North Carolina’s strength in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, outlined the major goals for his term and emphasized his commitment to bipartisan collaboration.
Stein was sworn in as the 76th governor of North Carolina Jan. 1, making history as the state’s first Jewish governor. On his first day in office, Stein issued five executive orders strengthening Hurricane Helene relief, indicating that the ongoing recovery effort would be a focal priority of his administration.
All in-person inaugural celebrations were postponed due to inclement weather conditions, as the Triangle saw its first significant snow in nearly three years. The event was broadcast live to North Carolina residents.
To begin his address, Stein expressed his pride in North Carolinians’ ability to overcome crises and band together in times of struggle, espousing the mantra of “North Carolina Strong.”
Stein shared an account of a storm in 1916 that trapped a local business owner, J. L Duckworth, on the roof of his store. Witnesses raised thousands of dollars to have someone save him, and one man, Will Clark, heroically paddled a rescue boat to rescue Duckworth.
Both men made it out safely, but Clark refused the reward.
“Will Clark [said] he was willing to risk his life — not for money, but for his neighbor,” Stein said. “Will Clark embodied the spirit of the people of North Carolina today. That spirit is still strong.”
Stein spoke about this continuing spirit in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s “unprecedented devastation.” He referred to the first responders who risked their lives to save their neighbors, business owners who provided crucial resources to locals, and reporters who worked continuously to provide necessary safety information to North Carolinians.
“None of the individuals I met cared a whit about the party registration of the person they were helping,” Stein said. “… Our people are good, and they are ready to meet any challenge. They are North Carolina Strong.”
Throughout his tenure, Stein aims to work across the aisle. He referred to his time serving as attorney general, where he built a bipartisan record unifying a sharply divided N.C. General Assembly to pass legislation clearing a backlog of untested rape kits, combating opioid addiction and allowing victims to hold their abusers accountable.
Similarly to his predecessor Roy Cooper, Stein will be faced with a Republican-led legislature. Throughout his eight-year tenure, Cooper issued over 100 vetoes against Republican legislation. All 10 of his vetoes from 2024 were overridden.
While Cooper’s vetoes had a low success rate, it is anticipated that Stein’s veto power will be stronger. This election cycle, Democrats were able to eliminate the Republican’s supermajority in the General Assembly by clinching 49 seats in the state House of Representatives — thereby leaving the GOP with one seat under the three-fifths supermajority threshold. Stein has previously stated that he plans to veto any bill that contains further abortion restrictions.
Aside from Helene relief and bipartisan collaboration, Stein’s major goals for his term include economic development, education investment and public safety initiatives. He further stated his commitment to cutting taxes for the working class, raising public school teachers’ pay, investing in transportation infrastructure, cracking down on drug use and the fentanyl epidemic and decreasing stigma about mental health and substance-use disorders.
Stein concluded his address by reiterating his admiration for the people of North Carolina and the resilience that the state has exhibited throughout its history.
“Here in North Carolina, we have overcome fires and floods, poverty and plagues, recessions and racial segregation. When we see our neighbors stuck on a roof, we don't run — we build a boat and road,” Stein said. “… Let's build a better and brighter future for our children together. We can do it, and we will do it because we are North Carolina Strong.”
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Mia Taubenblat is a Trinity first-year and a staff reporter for the news department.
Sarah Diaz is a Trinity first-year and a staff reporter for the news department.