Mark Keith Robinson (born August 18, 1968)[1] is an American politician serving as the 35th lieutenant governor of North Carolina since 2021. The language I used, I am not ashamed of it. I want to be that person at the track meet that stands up and says Them two fellas that won this track meet, theyre not girls. At one point during Fridays speech, a precursor to the main address former President Donald Trump would give the convention Saturday, the lieutenant governor explained why he rejects all abortion, including in cases of rape and incest. Im saying this now, and Ive been saying it, and I dont care who likes it: Those issues have no place in a school. He came to prominence a few years back when he took the Greensboro, NC, city council to task over 2A rights. Some state senators have taken a harder line and are demanding that Robinson resign, calling his remarks discriminatory. Gubernatorial rivals already have been pushing back at Robinson even before the formal announcement. Robinson told WRAL on Friday that the governors opinion made no difference whatsoever., I am tired of folks on the right being demonized for our speech, he said, claiming that folks on the left burn, beat, rob, loot take over entire cities and get a pass.. That is a painted up, marked-up, dressed-up jackass.. Mark Robinson, a recent rising force in North Carolina Republican politics and a vocal abortion opponent, confirmed Thursday that he and his future wife decided to get an abortion more than 30 years ago. Si verificato un errore nell'invio. Mark Robinson says he and his wife made mistake not to go through with pregnancy before marriage", "2020 Republican Primary Lieutenant Governor Election Results", "2020 North Carolina Lieutenant Governor General Election Results", Lieutenant governors in the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mark_Robinson_(American_politician)&oldid=1151662238, African-American people in North Carolina politics, Discrimination against LGBT people in the United States, Far-right politicians in the United States, Politicians from Greensboro, North Carolina, University of North Carolina at Greensboro alumni, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 12:38. Mark Robinson has formally entered next year's race for governor. Robinson himself said during a brief conversation Tuesday as he left the Senate floor, and as a staffer pressed to wrap things up, that the speech spoke for itself. 37,374 talking about this. WebNorth Carolina Lt. Gov. As he left the Senate floor Tuesday, Robinson said he wasnt comparing incest to getting stuck on railroad tracks or suggesting rape is Charles Darwins survival-of-the-fittest theory in action. Conservative Political Action Conference, Lieutenant Governor Republicans must be a bulwark against the socialist hellhole President Joe Biden seeks in America. The comments prompted the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, to call for his resignation. 2023 Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. NC Lt. Gov. Some Democratic North Carolina state senators are calling for the resignation of Robinson, a Republican, after footage of him saying that American BONUS PUBBLICITA: prorogato anche per il 2021! Theres no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality any of that filth, he said in a sermon at the church. Governor", "Gun Speech Propels Black Former Factory Worker to Lieutenant Gov Nomination", "Mark Robinson becomes N.C.'s first African-American lieutenant governor", "Election 2020: Gov. To hear this from a member of such a high office signals to countless folks that they're unwelcome in our state. North Carolina Lt. Gov. What about in cases of rape or incest? Robinson said, changing his voice to impersonate an abortion rights advocate. The Black Lives Matter movement claims to care about the lives of Black people but has turned a blind eye while violence in Black communities is taking Black lives at a genocidal rate, he said. Mark Robinson. This is not the first time Robinson has shared his discriminatory views, but it should be the last time he gets away with it as an elected leader. Robinson said Saturday he wants to make North Carolina a destination state for life," which he said includes his support for legislation preventing abortions once an ultrasound first detects fetal cardiac activity, typically about six weeks after fertilization. Its abhorrent to hear anyone, and especially an elected official, use hateful rhetoric that hurts people and our states reputation, said spokesperson Jordan Monaghan. You can cancel at any time. North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. And it offers possible clues about what he might discuss Monday when he gives the state GOP response to Coopers State of the State address. "Yes, I called it filth. We are Americans.. [35] The task force did not comply with the state open meeting law by maintaining records of its meetings or transactions. I was supposed to be crushed by racism as a Black man in the South, he said under rain showers. Mark Robinson Roy Cooper, a Democrat, leave the state or his position. We will not change our language, he said. Mark Robinson, a recent rising force in North Carolina Republican politics and a vocal abortion opponent, confirmed Thursday that he and his future wife decided to get an abortion more than 30 years ago. It's focused on what he said during an event in June. It creates nothing. "[27] Robinson's posts were also criticized by Equality North Carolina and Jewish community leaders in North Carolina. [25] He has indicated that he wants to remove science and social studies from first through fifth grade curriculum, abolish the State Board of Education, and expand charter schools and school voucher programs, potentially supplanting the public school system. NC lieutenant gov explains abortion decision decades ago You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. No one is perfect, but no one is too far gone to be saved, Robinson says. [44] Robinson had filed for bankruptcy on three occasions, has been sued for payments, and had liens placed on him by the Internal Revenue Service as recently as 2012. I don't want to be the governor, he said. Controversy is swirling around North Carolina Lt. [12] On March 26, 2021, he launched the FACTS (Fairness, Accountability in the Classroom for Teachers and Students) Task Force through his office's website. [8] Robinson has said that his father was abusive and alcoholic, and that he and his family suffered from domestic violence; Robinson and his siblings lived in foster care for part of their childhood, before moving back in with their mother, who worked as a custodian. Mark Robinson made all of those statements to his fellow Republicans last Friday during the partys state convention. We will not back down. He has also repeatedly alleged that indoctrination in schools is a serious issue. A former factory worker and day care operator, Robinson gained public attention from a viral video of his 2018 anti-gun control speech to the Greensboro City Council about attempts to cancel a local gun show. One of the words Robinson used "transgenderism" was adopted by anti-transgender activists to make being transgender sound like a condition, according to the LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD. [33], After swearing into office, Robinson began focusing on education issues, particularly with regards to the appropriateness of instructional and reading materials available to children enrolled in schools. Mark Robinson formally entered next year's gubernatorial race at a rally Saturday, with the sharp-spoken social conservative saying North Carolina neads a leader like him who can relate to the challlenges and desires of working people. The track's owners are still fighting the Cooper administration in court over its temporary closure. MAYODAN Get ready to swivel your hips, hang bright leis around your necks and see hula dancers and a fire show. Mark Robinson His 2020 campaign was his first. The lieutenant governor typically doesnt speak to WRAL News, and he poked at the station a couple of times during his speech. Please subscribe to keep reading. Robinson, a favorite of national and social conservatives, has said hes fairly certain that hell run for governor in 2024. Theyre not dead because were here defending them.. Though, in recent years, advocates have called on educators to make an effort to be more openly supportive of LGBTQ people whether thats by including prominent LGBTQ figures in lessons or by displaying a Pride flag in the classroom because they say it can benefit LGBTQ youth. Republican State Treasurer Dale Folwell also got in the race last month. "We are not talking about the fight for equality and if those people want to challenge me on that, that's fine," he said. North Carolina Lt. Gov. Candidate Apparently Thinks the Coronavirus Is a "Globalist" Conspiracy to Destroy Donald Trump", "The enigma of Mark Robinson: How NC's outspoken lieutenant governor is climbing the GOP ladder", "NC Lt. Gov. And if you dont like it that I called it filth, come see me and Ill explain it to you., After the video was released Wednesday, Democratic state Sen. Jeff Jackson called for Robinson to resign, saying such open discrimination is completely unacceptable., Calling many of your own constituents "filth" means you have no intention of representing them. Once a woman is pregnant, her body is no longer her own. And yes I called it filth. NC Lt. Gov. Robinson is now an official candidate for governor Mark Robinson announces 2024 bid for governor, setting up GOP primary battle", "North Carolina: Mark Robinson attracts scrutiny as extremist in Republican race", Lt. governor says he paid for wifes abortion before they were married, "North Carolina's first Black lieutenant governor-elect Mark Robinson hopes to inspire others with personal story", "WRAL: NC Lt. Gov. An episode of Bar Rescue featuring a Hickory pub will air on April 23, according to a Paramount Network representative. Among Republicans in North Carolina, those figures are 50 percent and 32 percent, respectively. The video, first shared by Right Wing Watch, a project of the progressive advocacy group People For the American Way, shows Robinson speaking at the Asbury Baptist Church in Seagrove during a visit in June, local NBC affiliate WRAL reported. Lt. Gov. Robinsons 35-minute speech Saturday included support for Republican tax-cutting policies, as well as for school safety and law enforcement. Candidate for Governor Join Mark's Army today "Mark Robinson should resign.". And if you don't like that I called it filth, come see me and I'll explain it to you." It's abhorrent to hear anyone, and especially an elected official, use hateful rhetoric that hurts people and our state's reputation. But Robinson endorsed Ted Budd for U.S. Senate last year rather than Walker, who finished a distant third to Budd in the GOP primary. Were not talking about a bunch of people who go down to the abortion clinic because theyve been raped or because theyve been a victim of incest.". In the wide-ranging, forcefully delivered and well-received speech, North Carolinas first Black lieutenant governor visited just about every front of the nations ongoing culture wars. North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. [37] In October 2021, after Robinson's speech was brought to light by Right Wing Watch, Democratic state senator Jeff Jackson called for Robinson to resign, and Governor Roy Cooper's office said that "It's abhorrent to hear anyone, and especially an elected official, use hateful rhetoric that hurts people and our state's reputation. Mark Robinson speaks before a rally for former President Donald Trump at The Farm at 95 on April 9, 2022, in Selma, North Carolina. North Carolina Lt. Gov. Robinson is North Carolina's first Black lieutenant governor and found his way to politics in 2018 when his impassioned speech about gun rights to the city council Link Copied! Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? "If Lt. The office of lieutentant governor has been considered for several decades as a stepping stone to the states highest office. The politics and business news you need to stay up to date, delivered daily in a must-read newsletter. If you couldnt get past them, I cannot help you., That is not a good argument, Robinson continued. The 54-year-old also released an autobiography that talked about a childhood of poverty, financial challenges as an adult, his religious beliefs and his late entry into politics. [43] They had a child in 1990 and another in 1992. Grandmother is charged with murder. North Carolina You saw those train tracks. One 2019 survey fromThe Trevor Project,an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization, found that queer youth with at least one accepting adult in their life have a 40 percent lower risk of attempting suicide. [16] He faced Democratic nominee Yvonne Lewis Holley in the general election in November,[17] in a race in which either Robinson or Holley would become North Carolina's first African-American lieutenant governor. And, yes, that includes the daddy. "[People] tell me that that is not true, Robinson said Friday. [21], Robinson promoted his persona as a "brash and unfiltered conservative culture warrior". John Wesley Waugh, a spokesperson for Robinson, said in an email that the lieutenant governor's comments "refer to education. Susanna Birdsong, North Carolina public affairs director for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, called Robinsons abortion remarks alarming. Robinson, a favorite of national and social conservatives, has said hes fairly certain that While 59.7% of likely GOP primary voters would opt for Robinson, just 6.3% said theyd vote for Folwell, according to the poll released by GOP political consulting group The Differentiators. I'm a law-abiding citizen who never shot anybody. But Robinson endorsed Ted Budd for U.S. Senate last year and not Walker, who finished a distant third to Budd in the GOP primary. He said that debt can be paid by going to school, getting a job and taking care of your children. He defeated Democratic nominee Yvonne Lewis Holley in the 2020 lieutenant gubernatorial election. North Carolina Lt. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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Robinson, 52, said there are only two genders, rejecting the concept of gender fluidity as well as the beliefs of people assigned male or female at birth, but whose internal sense of gender doesnt match that. North Carolina ", At a time when LGBTQ people, especially those with multiple layers of marginalization, need a supportive state, Robinson offered transphobia and homophobia instead," Johnson said in an email. "Every single person in our state deserves respect -- not only because it's right, but because it's necessary to build the kind of future we want for North Carolina.". North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Studio Clarus usa i dati che fornisci al solo scopo di rispondere alle vostre richieste nel rispetto del Regolamento UE 2016/679 GDPR. The lieutenant governors comments make it clear that he believes he can dictate these most personal decisions for others, without regard for individual circumstances, viewpoints or faith traditions, and that should alarm us all.. He spoke the words in the context of American soldiers sent to World War II, making the point that nobody wants to go to battle but they do so anyway out of a sense of duty. The East Carolinian student newspaper highlighted, rolled through a crowded Republican primary field, indicates that gender is not so simple as chromosomes or genitalia, the main address former President Donald Trump would give, Lt. Gov. A Robinson entry into the gubernatorial race could set up a possible battle against presumptive Democratic nominee Attorney General Josh Stein, who announced plans to run last month. [28] After the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, Robinson wrote that "Homosexuality is STILL an abominable sin and I WILL NOT join in 'celebrating gay pride. Elected the states first Black lieutenant governor in 2020 in his frst run for political office, Robinson would make similar history if he wins the governorship. Robinson A public confession many years before emerging into public life. ", He added that "if there is a movement in this country that is demonic, and that is full of the spirit of antichrist, it is the transgender movement.". You are the company you keep, and Mark Robinson continues to prove to North Carolinians just how far he will pull our state backward, state Democratic Party spokesperson Kate Frauenfelder said in a statement ahead of his speech. As for Walker, it was his distribution of Robinson's 2018 Mark Robinson has formally entered next year's race for governor. I think hes honest. Spokespeople for the state GOP also didnt respond to requests for comment Tuesday, or for requests Monday and Tuesday for video of the speech. I'm running for governor because we the people of North Carolina need someone who understands us, Robinson told roughly 1,000 supporters at the event at a speedway in Alamance County, about a half-hour from where he grew up. His comments were referring to teaching about these topics in the classroom, not about individuals of the LGBTQ community.". [21] Campaign finance watchdog Bob Hall identified several questionable expenditures in Robinson's campaign reports, including $186 for medical bills and for $2,840 for "campaign clothes and accessories" (most of it spent at a sporting goods shop); the campaign did not explain how these expenditures were campaign-related. State law currently bans nearly all abortions after 20 weeks. He also has said he can separate his religious views from the responsibilities of office. "[23] In 2022, after U.S. House speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband was violently assaulted at home, Robinson made light of the attack and posted falsehoods about it. NC Lt. Governor: Two Plus Two Doesn't Equal - RealClearPolitics "There's no debate here. [12] They live in High Point, North Carolina. 2023 Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. We must focus on reading, writing, and mathematics in North Carolina., Waugh wrote that Robinson affirms every individuals constitutional right to identify or express themselves in anyway they desire.. [9][11] While working in furniture manufacturing, he took history classes at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with the goal of securing a degree and becoming a history teacher. Why are they out there? Robinson said. Robinsons popularity among the Republican base and flush coffers put him squarely at the top of the list of candidates for a GOP primary. Robinson, who was elected the states first Black lieutenant governor in 2020, has spoken out ardently against abortion. 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