Who is Josh Stein? Democrat disrupts North Carolina gubernatorial election

All eyes are on the North Carolina gubernatorial race after a CNN report resurfaced racist and offensive comments made by Republican candidate and the state's lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson, on an online porn forum.

In a state known for electing Democratic governors and Republican presidents, the Tar Heel State's gubernatorial election is attracting attention because of the impact it could have on the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Before the allegations torpedoed Robinson's campaign on Thursday, he was already trailing his Democratic opponent, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, in the polls in the battle for current Governor Roy Cooper's seat.

Stein, who has had a long political career in North Carolina, would be the state's first Jewish governor if elected. Here's what you should know about him.

Who is Josh Stein?

Before becoming North Carolina's attorney general, Stein spent years serving in political office in the state where his family has deep roots in progressive activism.

Register to vote: Text with USA TODAY elections team.

Stein was born in Washington, D.C., and moved to North Carolina at a young age, living in Charlotte and Chapel Hill. His father, civil rights attorney Adam Stein, later founded the state's first integrated law firm. Stein graduated from Dartmouth College in 1988 with a history degree and went on to teach English and economics in Zimbabwe. He later earned law and political science degrees from Harvard University.