HOW DOES A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR WORK WITH A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY LEGISLATURE? TACTFULLY, BUT FIRMLY.

SOUNDBITE (English) Gov. Josh Stein, (D) North Carolina:

"Because you respect the people you deal with, because you're civil with the people you deal with, doesn't mean you don't have real disagreements ... When they pass legislation that makes the state less safe or less strong, I'll veto them."

EIGHT MONTHS IN, POLITICAL SCIENTIST DAVID MCLENNAN WOULD GIVE STEIN A B OR B+ IN THREADING THE POLITICAL NEEDLE.

SOUNDBITE (English) David McLennan, Meredith College:

"Not an A grade. That would be difficult to attain with the challenges he faces. But, still, For a first-term governor in his eighth month, a very strong grade."

STEIN HAS IT ONLY SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN HIS DEMOCRATIC

PREDECESSOR. DURING THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, ROY COOPER WAS STYMIED AT EVERY TURN BY A GOP SUPERMAJORITY.

SOUNDBITE (English) Gov. Josh Stein, (D) North Carolina:

"We broke the supermajority by one vote."

BUT HE’S HAD A FEW OF HIS OWN MEMBERS JUMP THE AISLE TO OVERRIDE SOME OF HIS VETOES. BUT STEIN PREFERS TO LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

SOUNDBITE (English) Gov. Josh Stein, (D) North Carolina:

“What legislation are they not passing, knowing that it would be vetoed and knowing that that veto would be upheld, that they would just go ahead and do if they didn't have to worry about it?”

MCLENNAN SAYS STEIN HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF TURNING DOWN THE PARTISAN VOLUME, WHERE HE CAN.

SOUNDBITE (English) David McLennan, Meredith College:

"I think the governor has learned from his predecessors that you have to work with the legislature as much as you can on issues that you can work with them on."

THAT SPIRIT OF COOPERATION WASN’T LOST ON REPRESENTATIVE JAKE JOHNSON, WHO WAS INVITED TO A RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNING IN RALEIGH.

SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Jake Johnson, (R) North Carolina:

"The level of communication between this administration and the legislature has been night and day from what we experienced in the last administration. ... And I will say this I've probably talked to Governor Stein more in two weeks than I did the previous Governor in eight years"

SOUNDBITE (English) Josh Stein, North Carolina Governor:

"Governing a state of 11 million people who see the world not from the same lens, with different parties in control of different branches of the government, is never going to be easy. But I did not run for this job expecting it to be easy. I ran knowing that it was a challenge, but also understanding the incredible opportunity there is to help this state continue to thrive."