FLETCHER, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has taken an unusually conciliatory approach toward the Republican-controlled General Assembly in his first eight months in office, seeking areas of cooperation on storm recovery and other broadly popular measures even as ideological divides remain.
Stein, who succeeded fellow Democrat Roy Cooper in January, has prioritized communication with legislative leaders and emphasized outcomes over partisan signaling, saying voters “don’t care whether I’m a Democrat or Republican, or that the legislature is a Democrat- or Republican-led body.” Nearly a year after historic flooding from Hurricane Helene, storm recovery remains a top issue the governor has pushed to address with lawmakers across the aisle.
Stein has made an effort to work with Republican lawmakers on measures tied to immediate needs and popular priorities, trying to keep the lines of communication open even as the legislature often backs President Donald Trump and resists many of the governor’s policy proposals. "What they want is for whoever are in these positions to get things done that make their lives better, and that’s my job," Stein told The Associated Press in an interview.
The governor’s outreach has produced mixed results. Lawmakers have cooperated with the executive branch on some emergency response and recovery efforts related to recent storms, but many of Stein’s broader policy initiatives have faced opposition in the GOP-led chamber. The split control of state government, observers say, has shaped a pragmatic, if sometimes strained, working relationship between the governor and the legislature.
Divided government has become familiar in North Carolina politics, where sharp partisan competition has often forced leaders to seek compromise on issues with obvious statewide urgency. Stein’s emphasis on collaboration reflects a calculation that voters are principally focused on tangible improvements — from rebuilding infrastructure to restoring services after extreme weather — rather than partisan victories.
Republican legislative leaders have their own priorities and have signaled support for national Republican figures even as they negotiate with the governor on state business. Those dynamics have created a political environment in which cooperation is possible on specific items but harder to achieve on broader, more controversial policy proposals.
Stein’s strategy underscores a central question for governors in divided states: whether to press partisan advantages or to cultivate working partnerships that can yield limited but concrete results. For now, Stein’s approach is centered on addressing near-term needs and demonstrating responsiveness to constituents, with the governor saying he will "work with whoever I need to in order to make progress for the people of North Carolina."
As the state moves forward, how effectively the governor and the legislature translate that approach into durable legislation will shape North Carolina’s policy landscape and provide a test case for governing in a tightly divided political environment.