DEI Hangs by a Thread in North Carolina. It's Time to Cut It Off Altogether.

Common sense continues to elude North Carolina as Republicans have yet to cobble together enough votes to override Democrat Gov. Josh Stein's vetoes of bills targeting discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives statewide.

The concept of DEI centers on the notion that certain minority groups need and deserve preferential treatment to level the playing field and make up for past discrimination.

Rather than promoting the virtues of equality, where everyone is treated the same regardless of immutable characteristics, DEI promotes the opposite: discrimination that disfavors one group to benefit another.

On July 29, Senate Republicans wielded their three-fifths majority to override Stein's vetoes of measures banning such practices in public K-12 schools and colleges. They did not vote on a third bill that would eliminate DEI policies in state and local governments.

But the House, where Republicans lack a veto-proof majority, skipped votes on all three bills despite placing them on the calendar, and did the same the next day, too.

Speaking with reporters on July 29, Democratic Rep. Pricey Harrison said members "might come back and override them if they have the numbers."

The North Carolina House will not take up the six remaining veto overrides today — while the door remains open, no votes are expected soon. Republicans still need one Democrat to join them to successfully override a veto in the House. #ncpol #ncga

SB 50 — Freedom to Carry NC
HB…

— Nick Craig (@nicholasmcraig) July 30, 2025

But as Republican Speaker Destin Hall gaveled out the House on July 30, he said he anticipates "most likely not having more than one" additional voting session to address outstanding matters and that "there is some chance that the body of the House may not have any votes for the remainder of this year."

For years, officials in North Carolina have capitulated to the Left's obsession with identity politics—a phase accelerated by the May 2020 death of George Floyd. But public sentiment is souring on DEI, and state and local officials would do well to take note.

Racial Tensions Advance Racist Agenda

The death of Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer sparked riots and unrest nationwide as people jumped to the conclusion that the incident was race-based.

Floyd's native North Carolina was no exception. Then-Gov. Roy Cooper—a Democrat who is now running for the U.S. Senate—joined ranks with rioters who had looted businesses and set the streets of Raleigh ablaze. Cooper then established the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice to develop "equitable policy solutions that address the structural impact of intentional and implicit racial bias" in the criminal justice system.

Protesters set fire to items looted Saturday from a CVS Pharmacy in Raleigh, North Carolina. https://t.co/IFBF1DS9Cn pic.twitter.com/eMHFUTHNzN

— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 31, 2020

At the same time, local governments began shifting their own policies—and taxpayer funds—to signal their outrage.

In New Hanover County, officials were quick to create an Office of Diversity and Equity, adopting the position that racism was a "public health crisis."

And how does one address a public health crisis? By renaming local parks, of course.

One of the new office's first tasks was renaming a Wilmington park named for the man who funded it, a wealthy businessman named Hugh MacRae. But MacRae also happened to be a co-conspirator in an 1898 race riot and coup, so what was once Hugh MacRae Park is now called Long Leaf Park.

Well done, folks. Crisis averted.

Restoring Reason

While other localities, including Cumberland and Orange counties, took similar actions in the name of fighting racism, officials across the state are now walking back their DEI policies amid growing public disgust.

Attempts to access New Hanover County's webpage for its Diversity and Equity Office now redirect to a new Office of Civic Engagement, which appears to have taken over the diversity budget of $686,211.

Meanwhile, the University of North Carolina System's Board of Governors has suspended all DEI curricular requirements.

That move followed President Donald Trump's executive order (EO) on "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity," which requires federal contractors—including institutions of higher education—to comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws and certify that they do not promote unlawful DEI practices.

"Today's action makes certain that the University can continue to certify its compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws without concern that the now-suspended curricular and program requirements may violate the Jan. 21 EO, or any subsequent directives from the federal executive branch on this topic," the UNC board wrote in a Feb. 5 memo.

The board has even doubled down on the new policy, demanding compliance amid reports that certain administrators have been finding ways to circumvent its directive.

North Carolina's newly elected labor commissioner and state auditor, both Republicans, also announced back in January that they would end all DEI practices under their purview.

"DEI is divisive and brings little-to-no return on investment of time and resources," State Auditor Dave Boliek said at the time.

"My goal in the Auditor’s Office is to establish a professional workplace where individuals are valued and measured based on merit. Corporations across the country are abandoning DEI, as are colleges and universities, and it’s time for the government to do the same."

Labor Commissioner Luke Farley agreed, stating: “From this point forward, we will hire and evaluate employees based on merit and on their ability to fulfill our mission to protect the health, safety and well-being of North Carolinians.”

Election Implications

The changes come amid growing public distaste for DEI policies.

A national NBC News poll published in March found that 43 percent of registered voters had a negative perception of DEI programs compared to 39 percent who held a positive view.

Similarly, 45 percent of U.S. adults responding to a January Economist/YouGov poll said they supported ending DEI programs in schools and the government while 40 percent opposed the idea.

North Carolina voters made it clear where they stand last November when they elected Trump over former Vice President Kamala Harris, who notably earned that title by being "of color and/or a different gender" than former President Joe Biden.

Evidently, people are catching on that one can't fight racism with racism. Will North Carolina Democrats figure that out?

Even as some joined Republicans to override Stein's vetoes of bills concerning guns in schools, immigration enforcement, and more, it appears that not even one Democrat—which is all it would take—would commit to ending blatant (and unlawful) discrimination.

The possibility that at least one could change his or her mind remains. If there were ever time for blue district patriots to badger their representatives, this is it.

(READ MORE: North Carolina Fixes Voter Rolls by Removing 100,000 Ineligible Registrations)