Mark Robinson comes out of hiding

For months, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has campaigned for governor away from the eyes of the press and much of the public.

That changed this week, as Robinson began crisscrossing the state for a series of meet-and-greets at restaurants. His campaign has advertised it as the start of his “Statewide Tour” — a marked change after months of appearances at churches, businesses and county Republican meetings that were not publicized.

Robinson delivered brief stump speeches during stops in eastern North Carolina on Thursday, laying out his broad vision for the state and railing against his Democratic opponent before snapping photos with supporters.

And unlike some of his previous less-well-publicized speeches in which he uttered combative and controversial remarks — including at least one that critics say amounted to a call to political violence — his remarks focused broadly on the economy and schools as he pledged rapid economic growth and a “return to classical education” in public schools.

“The economy is the present, the education system is the future,” Robinson told a group gathered in the back room of Shep’s Grill in the Beaufort County town of Washington.

And he sketched out a vision of North Carolina government under his leadership — including a new regime of department and agency heads.

“When the governor appoints people that will modernize those agencies, make sure they’re not weaponized against you, and make sure that those agencies are putting up guardrails instead of barriers, this state is going to explode economically,” Robinson said.

Robinson has repeatedly suggested that the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) was “weaponized” by his critics to steer a state investigation into his wife’s now closed nonprofit — Balanced Nutrition, Inc.

In July, the department ordered the nonprofit to repay more than $132,000 following a finding of “serious deficiencies” in the organization’s management of federal funds it was supposed to administer under a state contract to aid childcare centers. An investigation determined that Balanced Nutrition improperly billed the federal food program for excessive administrative costs and maintained inadequate documentation for some food purchases. The nonprofit also bought items not allowed for the childcare program.

Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort, Pamlico) stands next to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and greets voters after a campaign event at Shep’s Grill in Washington, North Carolina on Aug. 29, 2024. (Photo: Galen Bacharier)

Robinson goes after Stein while defending his scrutinized daycare

The lieutenant governor didn’t shy away from attacking his opponent — Attorney General Josh Stein — on Thursday. He tied him to national Democrats who he says have “broken” the country and economy. And he criticized Stein’s past as a legislator, while saying he “refused to do his darn job as attorney general.”

“What do you want from Josh Stein? You want him to do what he did back in 2008, when he was in the legislature, when the state was dead broke?” Robinson said.

Robinson has faced criticism from across the aisle about his own history — including the Greensboro daycare formerly owned by he and his wife.

Stein’s campaign has aired television ads highlighting state citations against the daycare, branding it “unsafe for our kids.”

Robinson has staunchly defended his ownership of the daycare. He continued to do so Thursday, calling it “one of the proudest moments of my life.”

“I’ve got a lying guy named Josh Stein that will take false images and try to place them on me, try to make me look like a criminal,” Robinson said at Brantley’s Village Restaurant in Oriental. “Over the work that I’ve done, to try and get people to vote for him.”

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein talks with students during breakfast at Bugg Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh on Aug. 28, 2024. (Photo: Galen Bacharier)

Stein, who leads Robinson in recent polls of the governor’s race, has opted for a more public-facing campaign in recent months compared to Robinson. He has held a series of “Real Time with Stein” townhalls, in which he fields questions from voters, as well as meet-and-greets.

The attorney general has argued that Robinson’s policy agenda and history of inflammatory remarks would hurt the state’s economy and standing.

“What I need to do is talk to as many North Carolinians as I can and show them the clear contrast that exists between my opponent and me,” Stein told NC Newsline after a townhall in Raleigh earlier this month. “He fights job-killing culture wars, I fight for people and deliver results.”

Earlier this week, EMPAC, the political action committee of the State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC), announced it would be endorsing Stein for Governor.

The organization noted that Stein has shown a willingness to work with SEANC on several employee-related issues, whereas Robinson did not respond to multiple requests for interviews from the Statewide EMPAC Committee.

For Republicans in eastern NC, economy is top of mind

Voters who attended Robinson’s campaign stops in eastern North Carolina and spoke to NC Newsline all cited the economy and costs of living as a top issue heading into the election.

“I’m not better off than I was four years ago, and I want that changed,” said Joey Roberts, a Pamlico County resident who saw Robinson in Oriental. “Price of gas, price of groceries. I’ve got grown adult children, I’ve got grandkids who aren’t experiencing what I experienced when I was their age, with all this stuff.”

Anna Kelley, also of Pamlico County, said rising prices had made affordable groceries more of a struggle for her and her husband.

“We’ve done the best we can with what we can do,” Kelley said. “It don’t help when everything’s going up.”

NC Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. NC Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Rob Schofield for questions: info@ncnewsline.com. Follow NC Newsline on Facebook and X.