Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein emerged victorious in the North Carolina gubernatorial election held on Tuesday, defeating the Republican candidate, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. This victory marks a transition as Stein steps in to replace the term-limited Democratic Governor Roy Cooper. Prior to his gubernatorial run, Stein had an extensive political background, having served in the state Senate and previously leading the consumer protection division under Cooper’s tenure as attorney general.

Stein’s campaign was heavily focused on contrasting his candidacy with Robinson’s, utilizing a substantial amount of advertising that highlighted Robinson’s controversial past remarks. Compounding challenges for Robinson was a CNN report that accused him of having made explicit comments on a pornographic website’s message board years ago. Robinson has publicly refuted these allegations.

The outcome of this election adds to the trend in North Carolina, where Democrats have now successfully navigated eight of the last nine gubernatorial elections. Stein’s victory was officially called by news outlets at 8:50 p.m. EST. As he prepares to take office, the implications of this election may shape the political landscape of the state moving forward.