Robinson campaigning on transgender restroom usage as he seeks GOP nomination
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, currently the front-runner in North Carolina's Republican gubernatorial primary, is campaigning on the issue of transgender people and restrooms. Political experts say the issue probably won't help him in November.
Posted — Updated"If you're a man on Friday night," Robinson told a crowd of supporters at a recent event in Cary, "and all the sudden on Saturday you feel like a woman, and you want to go in the women's bathroom in the mall, you will be arrested — or whatever we got to do to you. We got to protect our women."
N.C. State political scientist Steven Greene doesn’t think state lawmakers are likely to want to revisit that issue in an election year.
"It’s bad politics," Greene told WRAL News. "Arguably, this could help him win the Republican primary, but he already seems in a strong position there. And looking at the general election, running as a right-wing culture warrior is not a recipe for winning statewide election as governor in North Carolina."
Robinson's campaign didn't respond to a request for comment. Republican legislative leaders also didn't respond to inquiries about revisiting HB2.
"When he talks about dehumanizing people and making them unable to use bathrooms, that may be too far for the average voter who might even be center-right on this particular issue," McLennan said.
Robinson's Republican primary opponents criticized Robinson's comments.
“Mark Robinson is history's latest example of someone rising to power through hate,” said State Treasurer Dale Folwell, who is also seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Bill Graham, a Salisbury lawyer is also seeking the nomination. "Mark Robinson is going to lose, and he will hurt all Republican candidates up and down the ballot if he's the nominee," said Alex Baltzegar, a spokesman for Graham.
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.