Opinion: Our endorsements for Lt. Governor, commissioner of labor and attorney general

Coleman can put out the Forest fire in North Carolina

Linda Coleman, a former classroom teacher, N.C. House legislator and Wake County commissioner, captured over 2.1 million votes in the 2012 race for Lt. Governor, narrowly losing to Dan Forest by a margin of 0.2 percentage points.

In this year’s race for Lt. Governor, Coleman and Forest sit squarely on opposite sides of the House Bill 2 debate. Coleman supports repealing it, citing tremendous economic losses and “state-sponsored discrimination.” As one of the bill’s staunchest supporters, Forest has said that “transgenderism is a feeling.” A Lt. Governor that spews such ignorance is embarrassing for the state.

Coleman’s platform seeks to remedy regressive Republican policies that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

As our next Lt. Governor, Coleman will play an important role in salvaging the state’s reputation.

It’s time to extinguish the Forest fire — vote Coleman.

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North Carolina's workers deserve better protections

Charles Meeker is facing an uphill battle to be the next commissioner of labor for North Carolina. His opponent has benefited from state-funded political advertisements in every elevator across the state. Incumbent Cherie Berry has had an unfair advantage in getting her name out through these signs.

Despite this disadvantage, his platform benefits workers more by making new provisions for their safety and ensuring they are paid. Berry has repeatedly failed to make sure workers get the wages they deserve.

This is ironic because Republicans claim to support your right to work. Clearly, Berry doesn’t want to help those working.

Name recognition is no reason to be elected (especially when that name doesn’t actually rhyme).

The workers of North Carolina need to know their work is valued by the state and that they will be protected if their employer does treat them unjustly.

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Stein keeps North Carolina safer, but he can still improve

Josh Stein is going to have big shoes to fill as attorney general with Roy Cooper leaving. Stein is making environmental regulation and green energy a top priority for his election. In his platform, he says he wants to help protect survivors of domestic violence and stalking. Ensuring that gender-based violence is taken seriously should be his top priority.

However, Stein is touting a “hard on crime” platform. While still better than his opposition, voters should use the time leading up to the election to push for him to take a less harsh tone. It would be refreshing to see Stein acknowledge the racial and income biases that plague sentencing over minor drug offenses.

But still, compared to his opponent Buck Newton, who seems to care more about fighting against Washington than for North Carolinians, his priorities will continue the legacy Cooper is leaving.

He will serve and protect the people well.