Robinson rallies NCGOP with vision for economic and educational change at state convention

North Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson headlined the NCGOP State Convention Saturday night with a powerful speech drawing stand ovations from the crowd of an estimated 1,000 party faithful.

“We should understand one premise of this business; We don’t work for the state of North Carolina. We work for the people of North Carolina,” Robinson told the group, promising to tackle kitchen table challenges if he is elected governor in November.

“It’s real simple, we fight for two things, change in two areas,” he told the crowd. “Number one, our economy, number two, our education system. Economies are built on pillars. Those pillars are public safety, public education, health care, infrastructure, and housing. If you don’t have those things, and those things aren’t healthy, your economy will not be healthy.”

May’s Carolina Journal poll of likely voters found that 58% of registered Republicans thought that North Carolina is on the “wrong track,” compared with 42% of registered Democrats and 52% of registered unaffiliated voters. The same poll found Robinson and his Democrat opponent Josh Stein tied at 39% with six months to go until the November election. Last week’s High Point University poll of registered voters had Robinson leading Stein 39% to 34%.

“North Carolina is literally on the cusp of exploding economically,” he said. “It is time to direct that explosion in the right way and cause this state to be something even better than it already is.”

Robinson also promised that, if he is elected governor, he will make big changes to the state’s school board. As lieutenant governor, Robinson has served on the board since taking office, but the governor appoints eleven of the thirteen members for eight-year, overlapping terms.

“Our state school board is wrong headed and headed in the wrong direction.” He added. “When I take office in January, I get to flip that board. Not upside down but right side up.”

“Our education system in North Carolina is in shambles.” He added. “This is not the fault of our school teachers. The way we treat the teachers in this nation and in this state is abysmal. It needs to be turned around. Quick, fast, and in a hurry.”

Robinson’s thirty minute speech was interrupted throughout by applause from the crowd of Republican delegates from each county. He ended with one final thundering ovation, fiercely declaring that, “We live in the greatest nation on earth and we live in the greatest state in the greatest nation on earth.”

Earlier in the day, businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy spoke at the First in Freedom Lunch, calling Robinson onstage and endorsing him for the next governor of North Carolina.

“I read about him in the pages of the New York Times, and I knew if they were coming after him, he must be doing something right,” said Ramaswamy.

The Republican candidates for the Council of State races also spoke at the convention, along with North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

The post Robinson rallies NCGOP with vision for economic and educational change at state convention first appeared on Carolina Journal.