NC governor’s race: Robinson gets national attention, spends little time on LG duties

Welcome to the governor’s race edition of our Under the Dome politics newsletter. I’m Dawn Vaughan, The News & Observer’s state Capitol bureau chief.

The North Carolina governor’s race was going to get national attention no matter who ended up as the candidates. Mainly because we are in a swing state, and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper had won two terms while Republicans maintained control of the General Assembly.

Then Republicans nominated Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who draws national interest for his insulting rhetoric — the most vitriolic reserved for LGBTQ+ people, then on down a long list that also includes public school teachers.

Robinson is part of the MAGA wing of the Republican Party and endorsed by former President Donald Trump. Now he faces Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein for governor.

New York magazine wrote a profile of Robinson this past week called “Mark Robinson is MAGA’s Great Black Hope,” with much of the narrative coming from his 2022 “We Are the Majority!” memoir and several interviews, including with Republican State Treasurer Dale Folwell, Stein campaign strategist Morgan Jackson and progressive lobbyist Kristie Puckett. Puckett told New York magazine that she thinks Robinson will win.

The article doesn’t have the voices of Robinson supporters aside from a brief quote from his wife, Yolanda Hill, who advised reading Robinson’s memoir. It notes that several people in Robinson’s orbit declined interviews.

The article mentions Robinson’s “long days at the General Assembly,” even though anyone who spends time at the General Assembly knows Robinson rarely goes there.

During the Republican gubernatorial primary, Robinson’s opponents, Folwell and Bill Graham, criticized him for his lack of attendance at the legislature and other meetings the lieutenant governor is expected to attend.

On Wednesday, he came to the Legislative Building, but only or a Moms for Liberty rally on the lawn. Robinson left without taking any questions from reporters who cover the legislature. Afterward, instead of going to the building, he went to his car.

Robinson didn’t go to a Senate session that morning. He didn’t go to the afternoon session either.

The lieutenant governor in North Carolina has very few duties, but one of them is to preside over the Senate. The job’s salary is $157,403, funded by taxpayers.

In his speech to Moms for Liberty, Robinson talked about removing DEI, known as diversity, equality and inclusion, from schools and government.

GOP’s Robinson tells Moms for Liberty he wants to get DEI out of schools, government

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