RALEIGH, N.C. — Attorney General Josh Stein once again made history on election night, winning the election to become North Carolina’s first Jewish governor. His victory not only marks a milestone for representation in the state, but he’ll also join a handful of Jewish governors serving across the United States when he takes office next year.

It also reflects a new chapter in North Carolina’s political landscape.

What You Need To Know

  • Josh Stein became the first Jewish candidate to win a statewide race in 2016 when he ran for attorney general

  • Stein will become the first Jewish governor in the South since Florida’s David Sholtz in the 1930s

  • Stein did not lean much on his faith on the campaign trail during his bid for North Carolina governor

“North Carolina has been a conservative Christian state with a very small Jewish population, and we still are in many ways, relatively speaking,” said Steven Greene, a political science professor at North Carolina State University. “But the world has changed.”

Stein’s rise wouldn’t have been possible during North Carolina’s early years. The original state constitution barred non-Protestants from holding office. It wasn’t that long ago when a candidate’s faith came under the microscope. In 1960, then-candidate John F. Kennedy famously delivered a major speech to address concerns over how his Catholic faith could influence his presidency.

“For while this year (1960) it may be a Catholic against whom the finger of suspicion is pointed, in other years it has been, and may someday be again, a Jew — or a Quaker or a Unitarian or a Baptist,” Kennedy said at the time.

Stein rarely mentioned his Jewish identity on the campaign trail, preferring to keep the conversation centered on issues impacting North Carolinians. His historic win, however, still resonates with those in North Carolina’s Jewish community who see his election as a milestone for representation.

“It sends a message that voters in North Carolina aren’t going to vote for or against somebody on the basis of their religion, but instead based on their own merit, experience, values, and platform,” said Jordan Chester, a Wake County voter.

When asked about his thoughts on possibly becoming the state’s first Jewish governor on Election Day, Stein emphasized he’s not running to make history, but to make a difference.

“Obviously I’d be proud of that, but this is about trying to do everything we can to help the people of North Carolina have the best chance for a brighter future,” said Stein.

“I would say in many ways, the biggest story about Josh Stein's religion in this campaign is how much of a non-story it is,” said Greene. “It's just not something people of either party are really focused on.”

When he takes office in 2025, Stein will join a group of six Jewish governors across the United States. Delaware elected its second Jewish governor on election night in Matt Meyer.