It’s the 12 Days of Ballotpedia! Your gift powers the trusted, unbiased information voters need heading into 2026. Donate now!
Bill Graham (North Carolina)
Bill Graham (Republican Party) ran for election for Governor of North Carolina. He lost in the Republican primary on March 5, 2024.
Biography
Graham earned a B.A. from Catawba College and a J.D. from Antioch University. He served as a district attorney and later as a private lawyer for the firm Wallace & Graham.[1]
2024 battleground election
Ballotpedia identified the March 5, 2024, Republican primary as a battleground race. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.
Mark Robinson won the Republican primary for governor of North Carolina on March 5, 2024. He defeated Dale Folwell and Bill Graham. The general election is on November 5, 2024. Incumbent Roy Cooper (D) was term-limited.
The National Review's Audrey Feinberg wrote, "North Carolina’s gubernatorial race is shaping up to be one of the most expensive and competitive statewide contests of the 2024 cycle, and gives Republicans a new opportunity to win control of a governor’s mansion that has historically been held by Democrats."[2]
Folwell has served as North Carolina’s treasurer since 2017 and was in the state house from 2005 to 2013.[3] Folwell focused on his record, saying "no other candidate for Governor has such an extensive background in public service and unique experience in negotiating with legislators to make government more effective."[4] EMPAC, the political action committee of the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC), endorsed Folwell.[5]
Graham, a private attorney and former prosecutor, ran for governor in 2008. Graham highlighted education, taxes, and crime.[6] Graham said he would support the "death penalty for fentanyl dealers and human traffickers[,] increase mandatory prison terms for violent offenders[, and] establish a statewide crime task force to assist local law enforcement in combating gangs and illegal drug activity.” U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) endorsed Graham.[2][6]
Robinson was elected North Carolina’s lieutenant governor in 2020. A former factory worker, Robinson gained media attention in 2018 for a widely-shared video of a speech he made in support of gun rights.[7] Robinson focused on his personal background and upbringing. His campaign website said Robinson went from being “the 9th of 10 in a poor household filled with alcoholism and domestic violence to the first Black Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina.”[8] In June 2023, former President Donald Trump (R) said he would endorse Robinson.[9]
Folwell and Graham criticized Robinson. Folwell said Robinson “normally attacks women, Jews and other groups” and said Robinson is “history’s latest example of a person rising to power telling people who to hate.”[4] Graham said Robinson "suggested the Holocaust wasn’t real, downplayed the Nazis, and promoted Hitler propaganda."[10]
In response, Robinson’s campaign said Graham was “regurgitating the same dishonest lies the Democrats use because the Republican primary is over and he can’t handle it. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson stands with Israel and the Jewish people – and he’s never questioned the Holocaust.”[11]
Democrats controlled North Carolina’s governorship for 26 of the past 30 years. Former Gov. Pat McCrory—the only Republican elected to the position in that period—served from 2013 to 2017.
In North Carolina, a runner-up can request a runoff election if the winner does not take 30% of the vote, but a runoff is not required.
As of February 2024, Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball and Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzalez rated the election a Toss-up, while The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rated it Lean Democratic.
Elections
2024
See also: North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2024
General election
General election for Governor of North Carolina
Josh Stein defeated Mark K. Robinson, Mike Ross, Vinny Smith, and Wayne Turner in the general election for Governor of North Carolina on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Josh Stein (D)  | 54.9 | 3,069,496 |
 | Mark K. Robinson (R) | 40.1 | 2,241,309 | |
 | Mike Ross (L) | 3.2 | 176,392 | |
 | Vinny Smith (Constitution Party) | 1.0 | 54,738 | |
 | Wayne Turner (G) | 0.9 | 49,612 | |
| Total votes: 5,591,547 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Gordon Ward (Independent)
- Donte McCorey Sr. (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of North Carolina
Josh Stein defeated Michael R. Morgan, Chrelle Booker, Marcus Williams, and Gary Foxx in the Democratic primary for Governor of North Carolina on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Josh Stein | 69.6 | 479,026 |
 | Michael R. Morgan | 14.3 | 98,627 | |
 | Chrelle Booker | 6.7 | 46,045 | |
 | Marcus Williams | 5.7 | 39,257 | |
 | Gary Foxx | 3.7 | 25,283 | |
| Total votes: 688,238 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of North Carolina
Mark K. Robinson defeated Dale Folwell and Bill Graham in the Republican primary for Governor of North Carolina on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark K. Robinson | 64.8 | 666,504 |
 | Dale Folwell | 19.2 | 196,955 | |
 | Bill Graham | 16.0 | 164,572 | |
| Total votes: 1,028,031 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Andy Wells (R)
- Jesse Thomas (R)
- Mark Walker (R)
Green primary election
The Green primary election was canceled. Wayne Turner advanced from the Green primary for Governor of North Carolina.
Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Governor of North Carolina
Mike Ross defeated Shannon Bray in the Libertarian primary for Governor of North Carolina on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Ross | 59.4 | 2,910 |
 | Shannon Bray | 40.6 | 1,985 | |
| Total votes: 4,895 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Election campaign finance
The table below contains data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. View each candidates’ loan totals, if any, by clicking “View More” in the table below and learn more about this data here.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[12][13][14]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Endorsements
Graham received the following endorsements.
- U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R)
Pledges
Graham signed the following pledges.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Bill Graham did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign ads
| February 22, 2024 |
| January 11, 2024 |
| October 18, 2023 |
View more ads here:
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Wallace & Graham, "Bill Graham, partner," accessed December 21, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 National Review, "Senator Thom Tillis Endorses Attorney Bill Graham in N.C. GOP Gov Primary, Dealing Blow to Frontrunner Mark Robinson," December 8, 2023
- ↑ North Carolina Department of State Treasurer, "Learn About the Department," accessed December 21, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Winston-Salem Journal, "Robinson calls some GOP members 'cowards' for not backing him," December 7, 2023
- ↑ SEANC, "EMPAC ENDORSES DALE FOLWELL FOR GOVERNOR," January 8, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Bill Graham for Governor, "Meet Bill Graham," accessed December 21, 2023
- ↑ YouTube, "North Carolina man's speech at city council meeting about gun rights goes viral," April 9, 2018
- ↑ Mark Robinson, "Meet Mark," accessed December 21, 2023
- ↑ U.S. News, "Trump Pledges to Endorse Mark Robinson for North Carolina Governor," June 10, 2023
- ↑ Graham Governor, "BILL GRAHAM RELEASES NEW AD COMPARING HIS RECORD OF SUPPORTING ISRAEL TO MARK ROBINSON’S RECORD OF ANTISEMITISM," accessed January 15, 2024
- ↑ CBS17, "Graham accuses Robinson of ‘aligning himself with Hamas’ in GOP governor’s race," January 19, 2024
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
 |
State of North Carolina Raleigh (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
