Meet Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s Rising GOP Star

What’s happening: North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson won the GOP nomination for the 2024 NC gubernatorial election. Robinson, an Army veteran and outspoken conservative, was elected as the state’s first black lieutenant governor in 2020.

• Media attention: The left opposes Robinson’s nomination over his past remarks, which they labeled anti-LGBT, Islamophobic, antisemitic, and conspiratorial.

• Out of context? One comment was misconstrued to suggest he was anti women voting when he was, in fact, praising the GOP for promoting their right to vote in the 20th century.

No holding back: Robinson has been particularly fierce in his opposition to LGBT ideology. He said children should not be taught “any of that filth” related to homosexuality and transgenderism. He also said the transgender movement is full of “the spirit of the Antichrist.”

Birds of a feather: Robinson made a name for himself with his passionate rhetoric and received almost two-thirds of the vote in the primary election. His style caught the attention of former president Donald Trump, who called him “Martin Luther King on steroids.”

His platform: Social change is Robinson’s focus — including progressively limiting abortion, ensuring transparency in education, and creating workforce opportunities for disadvantaged students.

Why it matters: Robinson remains a strong contender against Democrat candidate Josh Stein. The race is considered a “toss-up,” a good sign for Robinson considering that North Carolina elected only one GOP governor since 1992. With a GOP legislative majority in both houses, Robinson would have an opportunity to enact strongly conservative policies.