Mark Robinson (American politician)
Mark Robinson | |
|---|---|
| Lieutenant Governor-Elect of North Carolina | |
| Assuming office January 2021 | |
| Governor | Roy Cooper |
| Succeeding | Dan Forest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Greensboro, North Carolina |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Yolanda |
| Children | 2 |
Mark Robinson is an American gun rights activist and politician from North Carolina. After winning election in 2020, he became the Lieutenant Governor-elect of North Carolina, scheduled to assume office in 2021.
Early life
Robinson was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the ninth of ten children.[1] From 1985 to 1989, he served in the United States Army Reserve.[2] Robinson works at a furniture factory.[2][3]
In April 2018, Robinson attended a meeting of the Greensboro City Council, where they debated whether or not to cancel a gun show in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Robinson spoke in favor of gun rights, and video of his speech went viral after it was shared on Facebook by Mark Walker.[4] He was invited to speak at the National Rifle Association's annual convention that year.[5][6]
Political career
Robinson ran in the 2020 election for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. He won the Republican nomination.[7] He faced Yvonne Lewis Holley in the general election in November.[8] Either Robinson or Holley would become North Carolina's first African American lieutenant governor.[9] He defeated Holley.[10]
Personal life
Robinson and his wife, Yolanda, have two children.[2] Robinson has filed for bankruptcy on three separate occasions, has been sued for payments, and had liens placed on him by the Internal Revenue Service as recently as 2012. He says that he has straightened out his financial problems.[5]
Controversy
Robinson attracted controversy in September due to his social media posts alleging negative Jewish influence in Hollywood, among other complaints.[11] He claimed that the movie Black Panther was "created by an agnostic Jew and put to film by satanic marxist. How can this trash, that was only created to pull the shekels out of your Schvartze pockets, invoke any pride?"[12] He also claimed that former first lady Michelle Obama was male and her husband Barack Obama was an atheist. Robinson stood by his comments in a September interview with Raleigh news station WRAL, stating, "I don’t back up from them a bit. May hurt some people’s feelings, some things that people may not like, but those are my personal opinions."[13]
References
- ^ "App State's Turning Point USA brings candidate for lieutenant governor to discuss education, gun rights – The Appalachian". Theappalachianonline.com. February 20, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c comment, 2018 / Leave a (April 12, 2018). "Meet the Man Whose Hometown Defense of 2nd Amendment Went Viral". The Daily Signal. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Mark Robinson Announces Run For Lt. Governor - The Rhino Times of Greensboro". Rhinotimes.com. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article208049249.html
- ^ a b https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article240881326.html
- ^ Larson, David (March 11, 2020). "Grassroots effort drives Mark Robinson to shock win in GOP Lt. Gov. primary". North State Journal. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ^ "Political newcomer Mark Robinson of Greensboro wins GOP nomination for lieutenant governor | Local News". greensboro.com. March 4, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article241025726.html
- ^ "Gun Speech Propels Black Former Factory Worker to Lieutenant Gov Nomination | Afro". www.afro.com. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ^ https://nsjonline.com/article/2020/11/mark-robinson-becomes-n-c-s-first-african-american-lieutenant-governor/
- ^ "NC Endorsements". The Charlotte Observer. September 30, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Billman, Jeffrey (March 27, 2020). "The NCGOP's Lt. Gov. Candidate Apparently Thinks the Coronavirus Is a "Globalist" Conspiracy to Destroy Donald Trump". Indy Week. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Fain, Travis (September 25, 2020). "On Facebook, NC's Republican candidate for lieutenant governor lashes out, insults". WRAL. Retrieved November 4, 2020.