GUEST COLUMN: The case for Mark Robinson

In March, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson won the primary for the Republican nomination for governor against State Treasurer Dale Folwell and businessman Bill Graham. Known for bringing forth controversy with the media, he is a very compelling candidate for governor as he offers a fresh perspective and is committed to addressing the needs of the people of North Carolina. His bold vision for North Carolina is why I support him for governor of the Tarheel state. 

I support Robinson as his story is one of resilience and determination. Born into poverty in Greensboro, North Carolina, he grew up with an abusive, alcoholic father with nine of his siblings. With his father dying when he was in the fifth grade, he and his siblings were placed into a foster home at one point until they were allowed to move back in with their mother.

Despite the fact his mother had only a fifth grade education, she was determined to provide for her children and became a janitor at UNC-Greensboro, choosing not to let the government take care of the family. Near graduating high school, Mark enlisted in the United States Army Reserves where he served as a medical specialist for four years. After proudly serving in the armed forces, he worked at a pizza chain and many furniture factories in the Triad. 

However, his early years of struggle were just the beginning. Mark would lose his job twice due to the North American Free Trade Agreement, leading him to lose cars and homes. He eventually went back to college to study history with the plan of becoming a college professor. However, his viral speech in support of the Second Amendment interrupted those plans. 

In his 2018 speech to the Greensboro City Council, he was an outspoken advocate for gun rights. In his speech, he said that he represented the average people in the community whose safety is threatened when gun control restrictions are implemented. He also emphasized that criminals will not abide by gun laws and will instead commit crimes against those who comply with the law. 

As lieutenant governor, he has still maintained his stance as an advocate for gun rights and has received an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association. His speech would cause him to go viral and make him a popular candidate for lieutenant governor. I support Mark Robinson for his outspoken stance on gun rights. 

Mark Robinson has also voiced his concerns pertaining to education. He has voiced concerns about sexually charged and LGBTQ+-based materials in the public school system which he has deemed “inappropriate.” He believes that a child’s education should be focused on learning how to read, write and arithmetic, not an education that is sexually or politically charged. 

"These materials do not belong in the classroom, the hallways or the libraries," Robinson said in a 2021 news conference. Robinson has voiced his opposition to all sexually-charged material in the classroom, whether it is heterosexual or homosexual in nature, and has shown examples of those types of books that are in some school systems across the country. 

Despite the fact he has been heavily criticized by the media and progressive politicians, and was told to resign; he has not backed down and stood firm on his beliefs. I support him for his stance on education and willingness to stand up to progressives. 

He is often deemed a firebrand for his stances and his past remarks. I support him despite this because many of his progressive opponents are always taking his remarks out of context. Recently, he was misquoted as stating, “I absolutely want to go back to the America where women couldn’t vote.” However, his statement in the video that went viral was misleading, as he was giving Republicans credit for passing the 13th, 14th, 15th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution. 

He was also criticized for supporting abortion restrictions, despite having paid for his wife to have one in the past. However, unlike most who run for office, he owned his past mistake of doing it. 

“It’s because of this experience and our spiritual journey, that we are adamantly pro-life,” Robinson said. 

He is also a vocal opponent of illegal immigration and has pledged to fight sanctuary cities. 

As a voter who has made up his mind for the gubernatorial election, I am supporting Mark Robinson for governor over Josh Stein. I support him due to his vocal support of gun rights, his humble beginnings, his bold stance on education, his unwillingness to back down to the progressive left and the fact that he owned his past mistakes and did not lie about them like a conventional politician. Robinson also has a fresh vision for our great state and will fight for us.