Mark Robinson, North Carolina’s Republican candidate for governor, has released a new campaign advertisement in which he and his wife openly discuss their decision to have an abortion decades ago. This revelation comes in stark contrast to Robinson’s current hardline stance against abortion, which includes recent promises to completely ban the procedure in the state.
In the advertisement, Robinson shares, “Thirty years ago, my wife and I made a very difficult decision. We had an abortion.” He proceeds to voice support for the existing abortion restrictions in North Carolina, which ban the procedure after 12 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother. This marks a significant shift in his public position, as Robinson had previously been reluctant to discuss the matter.
Despite his personal history, Robinson has been a vocal opponent of abortion, labeling it “murder” and “genocide” on social media. In a 2019 Facebook live stream, he stated that if he had a supportive state legislature, he would sign a law banning abortion for any reason. At a recent campaign rally, he reiterated his goal to progressively restrict abortion access, aiming ultimately for a complete ban.
Robinson’s contradictory stance has drawn criticism from various quarters. Morgan Hopkins, a spokesperson for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein, commented, “If North Carolinians want to know where Mark Robinson really stands on abortion, they should listen to every other comment he’s made on the issue before today.” Hopkins accused Robinson of misleading voters about his true position on abortion to gain electoral favor.
In addition to his controversial views on abortion, Robinson has a history of making inflammatory remarks about the LGBTQ+ community and other minority groups. He has called transgender women “filth” and suggested that they should be “arrested” for using women’s restrooms. He has also described gay couples as inferior to straight couples and has used derogatory terms to refer to LGBTQ+ individuals.
Robinson’s campaign for governor continues to spark intense debate, with his past and present views on abortion highlighting a significant contradiction that may influence voter perceptions as the election approaches.
