A long-time leader and key member of Chapel Hill’s political community shared his endorsement in North Carolina’s heated race for governor this past week.
Howard Lee — a former mayor of Chapel Hill, Democratic state senator, state Board of Eduction chair, and U.S. Army veteran — shared his support for Democratic candidate and current North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein on Wednesday, June 12. In an opinion column published in Durham’s Spectacular Magazine, Lee wrote why he believes Stein is the correct pick in the election based on his track record of “championing veterans.”
“Josh has stood up for veterans every chance he’s had, and he’ll continue to support us as Governor,” Lee says in the piece. “He has pledged to fight for affordable housing, job opportunities, and health care—both physical and mental—for veterans. He will also make sure veterans can keep accessing the education and training that they need.”
Lee served as the mayor of Chapel Hill from 1969 to 1975, with his election marking the town’s first Black mayor and the first African American to be elected to that level of local government in any majority-white town in the southern U.S. Before that, he was drafted into the army in 1959 after graduating college and was stationed in Korea for two years before earning an honorable discharge.
In the column, Lee also listed his experience in education leadership for reasons to advocate for Stein. He pointed to the attorney general’s support for public schools and community colleges, with Lee writing those are critical avenues for “future generations of North Carolina students” to either serve in the military or create advances to eventual help veterans after their service.
“As an educator, veteran, and North Carolinian,” he adds, “I urge my fellow citizens to take the time to reflect on their [personal] firsts, their journeys, and their families. I’m supporting Josh Stein because I want North Carolina to be the home of more groundbreaking firsts for our veterans, students, and teachers.”
Democratic North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein speaks at rally at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. on October 10, 2023. (Photo via AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker.)
The race for North Carolina governor is currently projected to be close between Stein and Republican candidate Mark Robinson, who is serving as the state’s lieutenant governor. The pair each handily won the statewide primaries in March and have seen significant fundraising, as the gubernatorial race is viewed as a potential reflection of the national election cycle. Lee’s column was timed with the launching of “Veterans for Stein” — an initiative through the Democratic candidate’s campaign to highlight support from the veteran community and promote Stein’s policies goals to benefit those who have served.
Stein is a Chapel Hill native, having gone through the local public school system before attending college at Dartmouth College and Harvard University. UNC has been among his campaign stops in this cycle, with Stein choosing the Chapel Hill campus to launch his Students for Stein initiative to build a coalition of student voters and ensure college populations are educated on Democrats’ policies in 2024.
The Democratic candidate has also picked up a variety of other local endorsements from current elected officials. At the state level, Democratic District 56 Rep. Allen Buansi — who serves the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community — has publicly supported Stein. On the local government level, Orange County Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford, Amy Fowler, Sally Greene, and Earl McKee, as well as Hillsborough Town Commissioner Matt Hughes and Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson, have endorsed Stein in the gubernatorial race.
Early voting in the fall general election cycle is set to begin on October 17, while Election Day is November 5.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines