Josh Stein

Biography

Josh Stein is head of consumer protection for Attorney General Roy Cooper and a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the state Senate seat currently held by Sen. Janet Cowell.

Early Life, Education and Family

Stein was born on Sept. 13, 1966, in Washington, D.C. His father is a prominent civil rights attorney in Chapel Hill; his mother, a small business owner.

He graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 1984.

He then went to Dartmouth College, spending a semester abroad in Kenya. After graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts in history in 1988, he moved to Zimbabwe, where he taught high school at the Danhiko school for disabled soldiers for two years.

After working for the Culbreth Park affordable housing project for nine months, Stein went to Harvard University from 1991 to 1995, earning a joint degree in law and public policy. 

In 1996, he married Anna Harris, whom he met when they both interned at the N.C. Department of Justice.  

Professional Career

Stein moved back to North Carolina, where he worked for the Self-Help Credit Union in Durham, where he handled real estate development in low-income areas. He also worked for the N.C. Minority Credit Union Support Center, raising capital for minority-owned credit unions.

In 1997, he worked for John Edwards' Senate campaign, becoming his campaign manager in 1998. After Edwards won, Stein went to Washington, D.C., to work for his U.S. Senate office, serving as legal counsel and deputy chief of staff in 1999 and 2000.

In 2001, he moved back to Raleigh. In February of 2001, he began working for Attorney General Roy Cooper, serving as director of the consumer protection division. 

Political Career

In late August of 2007, he announced he would run in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Janet Cowell, who is running for the Democratic nomination for state Treasurer.

He faces Jack Nichols and Mike Shea in the Democratic primary. 

He was endorsed by the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association, the Teamsters, the State Employees Association of N.C., Equality N.C., NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, the N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers, the AFL-CIO of North Carolina, the Triangle Labor Council, the Conservation Council of North Carolina, the American Federation of Teachers' North Carolina chapter, the Raleigh Police Protective Association and the Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association.

He faces former Wake County commissioner Jack Nichols and retired N.C. State track coach Mike Shea in the Democratic primary.

Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith.

Occupation

Contact Info

Email: josh@joshstein.org

Education

Military

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