NC gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein makes stop in Laurinburg

LAURINBURG —North Carolina Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein touched ground at the I. Ellis Johnson Community Center in Laurinburg and energized a crowd of local and regional Democrats.

Stein is the Democratic candidate for the governor’s seat now held by Gov. Roy Cooper, who is in his final term in office. In November Stein will face Republican candidate Mark Robinson. In Scotland, those in attendance representing Scotland, Robeson, Hoke, Moore and other counties, heard from Stein about his stance on abortion, public education, crime and more.

In his speech, Stein spoke his part in s ecuring more than $50 billion nationally to bring much-needed opioid addiction treatment and recovery services to people across North Carolina, tackling the backlog of untested rape kits in the country and d efending women’s access to reproductive health care, children’s right to a sound public education and people’s access to health care under the Affordable Care Act.

“I am running for North Carolina governor because I believe in the promise of North Carolina, that if you work hard, where you come from should never limit how far you can go, that our kids and grandkids should enjoy a better and brighter future than we have and every North Carolinian has a fair shot at prosperity, getting a good-paying job or starting a small business everywhere in the state including small towns in North Carolina, including Laurinburg, North Carolina,” Stein said.

Stein said that he is for raising the minimum wage, tackling the rising cost of living and cutting taxes for the working class.

“Last month my campaign rolled out the working families tax cut. It’s all about putting more money in the pockets of working folk, lifting kids out of poverty, and stimulating the local economy,” Stein said. “It makes sure that every North Carolinian can get good health care no matter where they live or how much money they earn.”

Scotland County Commissioner Darrel BJ Gibson and Rep. Garland Pierce through their support behind Stein and encouraged those in attendance to do so as well at the polls.

“He is passionate about the state of North Carolina, the people of North Carolina, the veterans, families, educators, and all the different things that affect our lives daily,” Pierce said.

The Democratic representative also said the party also has to “get people to vote.”

“There’s some elections where folks talk a good game but they don’t go to the polls … This is one of the most serious races that you and I will experience in our lifetime,” Pierce said.

“This is the beginning of we believe as Rep. Pierce has already said, the tenure of our 76th governor in the person of Josh Stein and in order for that to happen, not only do we have to go to the polls and vote but we have to make sure we mobilize, take people with us at our churches, gather people together,” Gibson said.