For Mark Robinsonthe Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina even took the stage at the state party convention on Saturday. Several state candidates took time in their own speeches to energize the crowd by vouching for Robinson’s gubernatorial bid.
As the state’s lieutenant governor took the stage after more than an hour and a half at the NCGOP Convention’s Old North State Dinner in Greensboro, Robinson began his fiery speech denouncing the media for focusing too much on the ongoing criminal and civil trials of Donald Trump and not the “failures of the Democratic Party.” He also shared his vision for the state, which he said revolves around improving the economy and education.
“Believe me, there are plenty of people in this state that are talented enough and share the vision that we have that we can make this a reality, folks,” Robinson said during his speech, which was broadcast live by Triad television station WGHP.
The 55-year-old Republican is embroiled in one of the most contentious gubernatorial races of the 2024 elections against his Democratic opponent and state Attorney General Josh Stein. Robinson’s brash political style has intrigued Trump supporters, as well as the former president himself, who formally endorsed Robinson at a rally in Greensboro in March, calling him “Martin Luther King on steroids.”
Robinson has also drawn the attention of critics who say his rhetoric about the LGBTQ community and limiting access to abortion should be cause for concern. The Greensboro resident has previously defended his past comments, saying he can separate his religious views from public office and wants to make North Carolina a “destination state for life.”
Robinson called himself “part of the winning team” during his speech, credited Republican policies for the state’s economic success and emphasized the role of the governor’s office — under his leadership — in sustaining that success.
“North Carolina is literally on the cusp of an economic explosion,” Robinson said. “It’s time for us to direct that explosion in the right way and make this situation something better than it already is.”
Education in North Carolina is another priority for Robinson, who said the state’s education system is “in shambles.” But the state of education is not the teachers’ fault, Robinson said, adding that he puts educators in the same category as police officers.
Burgum, governor of North Dakota, was also a keynote speaker at Saturday’s dinner, where he began his speech by calling Robinson the state’s next governor. He also echoed the sentiments of Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, and her husband, Eric Trump, who both spoke at the convention on Friday, that North Carolina will be a key state in 2024 that will “shape the real direction of our entire country could determine. ”
