North Carolina Governor's Race Shaped by GOP Candidates' Stances on Abortion and LGBTQ+ Rights.

The GOP faces a critical test in North Carolina's gubernatorial race, as controversial nominee Mark Robinson launches his campaign. Robinson's past comments, including comparing abortion to murder, could be deeply unpopular with general election voters. Some Republicans in the state see him as a liability, but he has a strong base of grassroots supporters and small-dollar fundraising. Democrats haven't won a presidential or U.S. Senate race in North Carolina since 2008, and with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper leaving office, Tarheel Democrats are staring down an election without their best candidate in a generation.