NC Gov. Josh Stein already looking to state budget. How that'll be different in 2027

Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan, The News & Observer (Raleigh) on Nov 15, 2026

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Democratic North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein will have a much different experience in the second half of his first term than the first. One of the biggest differences, as a result of the House flipping from Republican to Democratic control, will be the state budget.

For the past several years, the budget has become a bill that’s not just spending taxpayer money, but also changing policy. Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper let some budgets become law because, he said, the good outweighed the bad, and knowing that Republicans could overturn his veto. But in some Cooper years there were stalemates between the Democratic governor and Republican-led legislature.

Since Stein took office in January 2025, he wasn’t even invited to a standoff. It was just between top Republicans in the House and Senate, until they finally reached a deal — a year overdue. Stein signed that budget into law this summer, his first. Now, with Democrats controlling the House, he’ll have much more influence on what’s in the budget.

The budget process, which is the primary job of the General Assembly in the legislative long session in 2027, is already getting started.

“I actually had my first meeting on the budget on Election Day,” Stein told reporters on Thursday. “So we didn’t know who the winners were going to be, but we know that North Carolina needs a budget.”

His meeting was with the Office of State Budget and Management, which is part of his administration.

“We also know that we need to institute policies that help working families get by, when prices are rising. We know we need to have great public schools. We know that we need to have safe neighborhoods and communities, and those are the issues we’re going to be working on regardless of who won the elections,” Stein said.

Stein repeated his postelection message of working together with both chambers and both parties, given the House will be controlled by Democrats and the Senate by Republicans.

“Let’s work together. That’s what voters want their government to do: is to deliver for them. And in order for that to happen, we have to work together.”

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