On Sept. 24, as Hurricane Helene approached North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper asked for officials in the state’s executive branch to approve his call for emergency powers.
Records show that Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is running for governor this year, was the only member of the state’s nine-member Council of State who had not voted by the following morning. Cooper needs the council’s approval to exercise specific emergency powers. And local news outlet WRAL News reports that even though Robinson was missing in action, he has continued to attack Cooper’s response to the storm, which has killed dozens in the state.
“The time for politics is over. We are talking about saving people’s lives here,” Robinson tweeted on Tuesday. “North Carolina must follow the lead of successful governors like [Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis]. Cut the red tape. Stop waiting on federal resources and allow private industry in to assist with rescue and recovery efforts, and repair infrastructure immediately.”
The news that Robinson shirked his responsibilities when his constituents needed him most comes as no surprise. According to Blue Ridge Public Radio, he has a history of being “routinely absent from some of the lieutenant governor’s primary job responsibilities, including presiding over sessions of the state Senate and serving on the State Board of Education and other boards.”
Robinson’s campaign has been sinking fast since an explosive CNN report revealed his sordid online history, including that he reportedly called himself a “Black Nazi” and called for the reinstitution of slavery. Robinson has denied the report, though he has also rejected supporters’ offers to investigate the online posts.
Since then, top GOP officials have quickly distanced themselves from Robinson, reportedly telling him to end his campaign. And top campaign staffers have jumped ship, and top officials in his lieutenant governor's office quickly followed.
However, Robinson has not ended his campaign, even though the latest polling gives his opponent, Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, a double-digit lead.
On Wednesday, Bloomberg reports that President Joe Biden is deploying 1,000 troops to help North Carolina in the wake of Helene. He has said he might ask Congress to approve more robust aid to deal with the ongoing recovery.
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