MAGA Candidate Criticized in Home State’s Largest Newspaper

A Republican gubernatorial candidate in North Carolina was recently slammed in his home state’s largest newspaper.

Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, who is the second-in-command under Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and is vying for Cooper’s seat while touting former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, won the primary election with 66 percent of the vote to Dale Folwell’s 19.2 percent and Bill Graham’s 16 percent. Now, Robinson will face off against Democrat Josh Stein, the state’s attorney general, in November. Cooper, a two-term governor, can’t run again by law.

Robinson’s MAGA ties have sparked criticism among some organizations, including North Carolina’s largest newspaper, The News & Observer. On Tuesday night, the paper’s editorial board published an opinion piece condemning Robinson and urging Republicans to withdraw their support before the election while expressing support for Stein.

The paper criticized Robinson for a recent run-in with the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, regarding alleged disallowed expenses by Balanced Nutrition, a nonprofit that previously was run by Robinson’s wife, Yolanda Hill. Robinson also worked for the organization, as did his son and daughter, the paper reported.

“It is at the point where responsible North Carolina Republicans who truly care about the well-being of their state should concede their party’s error and endorse Robinson’s Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Josh Stein,” the story said.

Robinson’s campaign declined to comment when reached by Newsweek.

The editorial went on to list other concerns its staff has with Robinson, such as he was “evicted for nonpayment of rent, declared bankruptcy three times and failed to file federal income taxes for the taxable years 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.”

“Social conservatives swooned over Robinson because he is adamant about gun rights, opposed to abortion rights, critical of gay and transgender people, skeptical about the Civil Rights Movement and willing to say that public school teachers are indoctrinating children with liberal ideology,” the report added. “But soothing some people with what they want to hear shouldn’t be enough. Candidates should also be assessed based upon what they’ve done, or haven’t done. Conservatives can no longer pretend that Robinson passes that latter test. He’s not deserving of office or of their vote.”

Robinson’s MAGA ties have allegedly proved troublesome elsewhere, as well. The Associated Press reported that Cooper opted out of being considered as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate over concerns that should he leave the state to campaign, Robinson might try to take control.

The North Carolina gubernatorial race is expected to be one of the closest in the nation in November, Newsweek reported. The Tar Heel state has voted Republican in recent presidential elections, but Democrats have had success in recent gubernatorial races.