WRAL: “Robinson Has Referred To Abortion As Murder” And “Said He Would Support A Bill Banning All Abortions.” According to WRAL, “Robinson has referred to abortion as murder. And, earlier this year, said he would support a bill banning all abortions — with no exceptions for issues such as rape, or to save the life of the mother.” [WRAL, 6/2/23]
Washington Post: Robinson “Supports An Outright Abortion Ban.” According to The Washington Post, “The Republican favorite for the job, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, supports an outright abortion ban and opposes same-sex marriage. He is known for controversial statements, such as calling homosexuality and transgenderism ‘filth’ and calling student survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting ‘media prostit-tots.’ He has boasted of owning a semiautomatic rifle in case the government gets ‘too big for its britches.’” [Washington Post, 5/15/23]
FOX 8: Robinson “Called For An Almost Total Ban On Abortion.” According to FOX 8, “Lt. Gov Mark Robinson, who heads the Senate and is a likely candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, last week called for an almost total ban on abortion in the state.” [FOX 8, 1/26/23]
Robinson Said He Wished He Could Pass An Abortion Ban With No Exceptions. According to WNCT, “The Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina went on a radio talk show this weekend, saying in part that if he had the authority, abortion would be completely illegal in the state. Mark Robinson appeared on a WSIC program called ‘Taking Care of Iredell with NC Representative Jeff McNeely,’ primarily talking about his position on abortion […] The two men discussed, briefly, Mark Robinson’s own experience with abortion, which he has publicly expressed regret for. He has remained consistent in his staunch anti-abortion views. ‘If I had all the power right now, say I was the governor and had a willing legislature, we could pass a bill right now that says you can’t get an abortion in North Carolina for any reason. Would that stop abortions? No. People would get in their car, they’d go to Georgia, they’d go to South Carolina,’ he said, although South Carolina has passed an abortion ban and has proposed a bill that would make abortion legally tantamount to murder. ‘They would go to Virginia, they’d go wherever they could. They’d get pills online. Passing a law is one thing, I’d love to pass a law. I’d love to see a heartbeat bill proposed in our legislature.’” [WNCT, 3/1/23]
WRAL: “Robinson Said That If He Were Governor, He’d Like To Sign A Bill Completely Banning All Abortions.” According to WRAL, “On Monday, in a radio show hosted by Republican Rep. Jeffrey McNeely of Iredell County, Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson said that if he were governor, he’d like to sign a bill completely banning all abortions — mentioning no exceptions like for rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.” [WRAL, 2/28/23]
WSPA 7News: Robinson “Supports A Total Ban On Abortions.” According to WSPA 7News, “Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who many think will be the GOP frontrunner to succeed Cooper, has said he wants North Carolina to be a ‘state for life’ and supports a total ban on abortions.” [WSPA 7News, 4/4/23]
FOX 8: Robinson “Supports A Total Ban On Abortion.” According to FOX 8, “Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the state’s highest-ranking Republican and de facto president of the Senate, who is expected to announce on Saturday pursuit of the GOP nomination for governor, supports a total ban on abortion. ‘How can you have life and liberty if you end life in the womb, and do not give people their freedom after they’re born?’ Robinson said at a rally in January. ‘This nation is built on those ideals. And so we have to stand up for life.’” [FOX 8, 4/21/23]
FOX 8: Robinson “Has Said He Favored A Total Ban On Abortion.” According to FOX 8, “Saying that this is a bill that supports the rights of both mothers and children, leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly on Tuesday announced an agreement to modify the state’s abortion law […] The Democratic Governors Association issued a response to the bill that went after Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a GOP candidate for governor, who has said he favored a total ban on abortion.” [FOX 8, 5/2/23]
WFAE: Robinson “Has Advocated For A Total Ban With No Exceptions.” According to WFAE, “’This Republican legislature will keep coming, and keep coming, until they have completely and totally banned abortion and taken away our freedom and our power. But friends, we will not let them,’ Stein said. He pointed to his likely opponent in next year’s race for governor, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who has advocated for a total ban with no exceptions.” [WFAE, 5/3/23]
FOX 8: Robinson “Has Said He Favored A Total Ban On Abortion.” According to FOX 8, “Saying that this is a bill that supports the rights of both mothers and children, leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly on Tuesday announced an agreement to modify the state’s abortion law […] The Democratic Governors Association issued a response to the bill that went after Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a GOP candidate for governor, who has said he favored a total ban on abortion.” [FOX 8, 5/2/23]
WFAE: Robinson “Has Advocated For A Total Ban With No Exceptions.” According to WFAE, “’This Republican legislature will keep coming, and keep coming, until they have completely and totally banned abortion and taken away our freedom and our power. But friends, we will not let them,’ Stein said. He pointed to his likely opponent in next year’s race for governor, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who has advocated for a total ban with no exceptions.” [WFAE, 5/3/23]
Robinson Supported Legislation To Ban Abortions After A Fetal Heartbeat Is Detected, Which Typically Occurs Six Weeks After Fertilization. According to The Associated Press, “Robinson said Saturday he wants to make North Carolina a ‘destination state for life,’ which he said includes his support for legislation preventing abortions once an ultrasound first detects fetal cardiac activity, typically about six weeks after fertilization. State law currently bans nearly all abortions after 20 weeks.” [AP, 4/22/23]
Carolina Journal: Robinson “Has Been Public In His Belief That Restrictions Should Go Further” Than SB20. According to The Carolina Journal, “Folwell also backed SB20, stating in a tweet he ‘would sign’ the legislation if it advanced to his desk as governor. Robinson also threw his support behind the bill, but has been public in his belief that restrictions should go further, stating in a radio interview that Republicans should be willing to “’move the ball on the issue. ‘And when I say to move the ball, what I mean is to continue to try to save lives in the womb, and to continue to do the hard work it’s going to take to enhance those lives once those individuals are born.’ said Robinson on the K.C. O’Dea Radio Show.” [Carolina Journal, 5/24/23]
Robinson Voice Support For A Six-Week Abortion Ban. According to The Carolina Journal, “During his campaign launch speech, Robinson voiced support to restrict abortion following the detection of a fetal heartbeat at around six weeks.” [Carolina Journal, 5/24/23]
Robinson Was “Glad To See Republicans In The NC House And Senate Stand Strong And Override The Governor’s Veto” Of A 12-Week Abortion Ban. According to Robinson’s Twitter, “Lieutenant Governor Robinson’s statement on the override veto vote of the ‘Care for Women, Children, and Families Act.’ #ncpol” [Twitter, @MarkRobinsonNC, 5/16/23]
At The 25th Annual Rally And March For Life, Robinson Said He Wanted North Carolina To Be A “Destination State For Life,” Not Abortion. According to The Charlotte Observer, “About a thousand people marched through downtown Raleigh on Saturday calling for an end to abortion. It was North Carolina Right to Life’s 25th Annual Rally and March for Life, and the first since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to put abortion restrictions in the hands of state legislatures. The keynote speaker at the rally on Halifax Mall, which is behind the Legislative Building, was Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the presumed Republican frontrunner for the 2024 governor’s race […] He said rather than North Carolina becoming ‘a destination state for abortion’ because of more restrictions in nearby states, he wants the state to be a ‘destination state for life.’” [Charlotte Observer, 1/14/23]
HEADLINE: “Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson Calls For North Carolina To Become ‘Destination State For Life’ In Anti-Abortion Speech” [FOX 8, 1/17/23]
Asheville Citizen Times: Robinson “Has Made News With Extreme Anti-LGBTQ And Anti-Abortion Sentiments.” According to The Asheville Citizen Times, “On the Republican side, far-right Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has all-but announced […] Along with being the first Black person to hold the lieutenant governor's office, Robinson has made news with extreme anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion sentiments.” [Asheville Citizen Times, 1/25/23]
Robinson Said, “Abortion Is Not Compatible With This Nation, The Same Way Slavery Was Not Compatible With This Nation.” According to The Charlotte Observer, “Robinson went on to say that ‘abortion is not compatible with this nation, the same way slavery was not compatible with this nation. We speak of life and liberty, how can you have life and liberty if you end life in the womb, and do not give people their freedom after they’re born? This nation is built on those ideals. And so we have to stand up for life.’” [Charlotte Observer, 1/14/23]
Robinson Said, Abortion Was “A Moral Evil Like Slavery.” According to Christianity Daily, “Abortion is a ‘moral evil like slavery’ according to North Carolina's Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson during the annual March for Life Rally held last Jan. 16 […] ‘If we do not purge abortion from our shores for the cause of life the same way we purged slavery for the cause of liberty, this nation will not continue to stand,’ he stressed.” [Christianity Daily, 1/27/21]
Robinson’s Stance On Abortion Changed In A Matter Of Months. According to WRAL, “Robinson’s position on the issue has evolved over the past two years, as his run for governor has gotten closer. Last month, when he announced his candidacy, Robinson said: ‘We need common-sense legislation to prevent abortions after a heartbeat is detected.’ Heartbeat laws typically ban abortion at six weeks. One in South Carolina was recently ruled unconstitutional. In February, before he officially launched his gubernatorial campaign, Robinson had a different stance. He said if he were governor he would sign a bill banning all abortions — with no exceptions for issues such as rape, or to save the life of the mother.” [WRAL, 5/4/23]
As North Carolina Republicans Finalized Passage Of A 12-Week Abortion Ban, Robinson Said He Was “Not Interested In Talking About Abortion Anymore.” According to WFAE, “The leading Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, said Thursday he was ‘not interested’ in discussing the topic of abortion, just as Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly finalized the passage of a bill banning most abortions in the state after 12 weeks of pregnancy. When asked to comment on the legislation, Robinson declined to weigh in. ‘I'm not interested in talking about abortion anymore. What I'm interested in talking about now is how we're going to make life better for folks after they're born — saving lives in the womb and then enhancing those lives once those lives come into the world. I'm tired of talking about abortion. I don't want to talk about it anymore,’ Robinson said.” [WFAE, 5/4/23]
Robinson Would Not Answer When Asked If He Was Satisfied With A 12-Week Abortion Ban. According to WFAE, “Asked on Thursday if he was satisfied with a 12-week abortion ban or if he would seek more restrictions if elected governor, Robinson said he would leave the discussion up to lawmakers. ‘Look, that's going to be a discussion (lawmakers) are going to have. We're going to let them have that discussion. But my focus, again, is not on abortion. It's on how we can make the lives of people in North Carolina better,’ Robinson said. Robinson was in Charlotte for a monthly meeting of the North Carolina State Board of Education, of which he is a member.” [WFAE, 5/4/23]
Robinson’s Campaign Did Not Respond When Asked To Comment On The 12-Week Abortion Ban. According to WRAL, “Robinson, one of the lieutenant governor’s few official duties is to preside over the state Senate, has not been at the legislature this week as the abortion bill rolled out. His campaign has not returned messages requesting comment on the bill. And when Robinson was asked about it in person Thursday at an event in Charlotte, he told reporters: ‘I’m tired of talking about abortion. I don’t want to talk about it,’ according to WFAE. That shocked some observers of state politics, considering Robinson’s reputation for outspoken beliefs — especially on the issue of abortion, which he has frequently and harshly criticized in the past.” [WRAL, 5/4/23]
CNN: Robinson "Tried To Avoid Publicly Commenting On [Abortion] In Recent Weeks – A Reversal From His Usual Posture." According to CNN, "The race to succeed Cooper, who has for years beat back the Republican agenda in North Carolina with his veto pen, will be especially heated if Robinson wins the Republican nomination. Democrats are already highlighting his absence from the legislature during the abortion votes – arguing that he is trying to distance himself from the ban. The Republican had tried to avoid publicly commenting on the issue in recent weeks – a reversal from his usual posture – though he told a conservative radio host the day after Republicans overrode Cooper’s veto that North Carolina continued to 'move the ball' on abortion." [CNN, 5/20/23]
WFAE: Robinson “Continued To Publicly Soften His Stance On Abortion” And Claimed That He Did Not Recall Saying He Wanted To Ban All Abortions Without Exceptions. According to WFAE, “North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson continued to publicly soften his stance on abortion on Tuesday while also condemning the rainbow Pride flag and saying public education should be free of political agendas. Robinson is the leading Republican candidate for North Carolina governor. He made the remarks while speaking to the Charlotte Rotary Club in uptown Charlotte. After delivering a stump speech to the club, Robinson was asked by a woman in the audience to respond to comments he made to a conservative radio host in February, saying he would support a total ban on abortions with no exceptions in North Carolina if elected. Robinson said he did not recall making the comments, but acknowledged that he had ‘struggled a great deal’ with abortion, and said he no longer believed simply passing restrictive abortion laws was the right approach. ‘Even if I did pass a law saying you can't have an abortion, someone's still going to go to Georgia or Florida or somewhere and have their abortion — or New York. That's not how you save lives,’ he said.” [WFAE, 8/22/23]
Robinson Said, “I Should Not Be That Person Standing Up On That Stage Saying, 'You Can't Have An Abortion.' That Is Not Who I'm Going To Be. Jesus Christ Wouldn't Want Me To Be That Person.” According to WFAE, “Robinson, who has acknowledged paying for an abortion with his now-wife in 1989, said he began to think differently about his approach during a recent visit to a crisis pregnancy center. He said he listened to workers talking with pregnant women and encouraging them to keep their children. ‘And I realized something — that I should not be that person standing up on that stage saying, 'You can't have an abortion.' That is not who I'm going to be. Jesus Christ wouldn't want me to be that person,’ he said.” [WFAE, 8/22/23]
Robinson Said He Now Believed That The Best Way To Promote A “Culture Of Life” In North Carolina Was Through One-On-One Conversations With Women. According to WFAE, “Robinson said he now believes the best way to promote a ‘culture of life’ in North Carolina was through one-on-one conversations and support for pregnant women.” [WFAE, 8/22/23]
Robinson Refused To Say The Word Abortion, Referring To It Instead As The “A-Word.” According to Rolling Stone, “North Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor, Mark Robinson, does not want to talk about abortion — in fact, the leading Republican candidate for governor cannot even bring himself to say the word. Speaking at an ice cream social in Concord, North Carolina on July 6 — five days after the state’s new abortion ban went into effect — he told the crowd, ‘North Carolina needs to become a destination state for life. Now notice what I said: I said ‘life.’ I did not say the A-word. The A-word. Everybody wants us to say the A-word… No sir.’ Before North Carolina’s deeply unpopular 12-week abortion ban became a reality — before a single state house representative switched parties and gifted the GOP a veto-proof majority to pass it — Robinson had no problem talking about his frothing opposition to abortion.” [Rolling Stone, 7/12/32]
Robinson Argued That Rather Than The Decision To Get An Abortion Being The Choice Of The Mother Who Would Be Forced To Carry The Child, “Everybody Should Have A Voice And Everybody Should Be Able To Speak Up.” According to an interview with Robinson on AACONS, “‘But there are men who genuinely want these babies and do not want their girlfriends or wives to abort. And so we need to start listening to men and the regret and the stories such as yours as we discuss this issue in the community.’ Robinson: ‘That's exactly right. Everybody has a voice in this issue because this issue is not just about the man or the woman. This issue is really about the life that's in that womb and what we do in regards to protecting that life. And everybody should have a voice and everybody should be able to speak up.’” [Mark Robinson, AACONS, 11/25/22]
Robinson On The Decision To Get An Abortion: “We Want Them To Sit Down And Think, You Know, If I Don’t Want To Find Myself In This Situation, Then Maybe I Should Be A Little Bit More Responsible With My Body Before I Make Those Decisions.” According to an interview with Robinson on AACONS, “We want people to think before the baby. Yes. We want them to think before the action. We want them to sit down and think, you know, if I don't want to find myself in this situation, then maybe I should be a little bit more responsible with my body before I make those decisions. And of course, we know these things are going to happen, but we really want people to have those conversations and we want young men to be part of those conversations because it's not a him or her. It's a him and her issue.” [Mark Robinson, AACONS, 11/25/22]
WRAL: Robinson Said “He’d Get Behind Measures That Outlaw Abortion In All Cases.” According to WRAL, “If elected as North Carolina’s next governor, he says he’d get behind measures that outlaw abortion in all cases, ban same-sex marriage and reshape how public schoolchildren are taught.” [WRAL, 9/18/22]
Robinson Said There Should Be “Dire Consequences” For Doctors Who Perform Illegal Abortions. According to WRAL, “Robinson said he supports a narrower enforcement of abortion restrictions that focuses on medical providers. ‘There should certainly be dire consequences for somebody who performs an illegal abortion just like it should be for anyone who performs an illegal medical procedure,’ he said.” [WRAL, 9/18/22]