Ad campaign features Black voters speaking out against NC’s Mark Robinson. Here’s why
Months before North Carolina’s November general election, a progressive political interest group attempted to appeal directly to Black voters in North Carolina in an advertising campaign against Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson.
In a June 16 ad released by Raleigh-based Progress North Carolina Action, Martin Luther King III, the son of legendary civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., says, “Nothing is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity,” in describing his opposition to Robinson’s attacks against his father.
Robinson, who was elected the first Black lieutenant governor in 2020, suggested Martin Luther King Jr. was a communist and said the civil rights movement comprised “free choice” and that “so many freedoms were lost.”
The 30-second clip was part of a series of television and online ads launched by the progressive media organization to highlight Robinson’s past comments about Black people and their interests.
“We thought it was important for North Carolinians to have a clear view on the fact that Mark Robinson has used his [platform] as Lt. Gov. to attack women, LGBTQ+ people, his public comments on social media about the Black community, the Jewish community, educators and the Muslim community,” Progress North Carolina Action executive director Jessica Jollet told The Charlotte Observer.
Why Mark Robinson is targeted
Robinson, who is running against Democrat Attorney General Josh Stein in the Nov. 5 general election, has drawn national attention for inflammatory rhetoric against LGTBQ+ people, diversity, equity and inclusion programs, abortion and school teachers.
Mitch Summerfield, the pastor at Word of God Fellowship Church in Raleigh who also appeared in an ad, said,” Mark Robinson does not speak for me” in a clip where he pushes back against Robinson’s disparaging commentary in reference to Black women.
Summerfield said he wanted to speak out against a claim made by Robinson that he spoke for African American religious leaders.
“He and I have never sat down and had a conversation, so how do you know what I think, or believe, or feel? How can you say you speak for all Black religious leaders?” Summerfield told the Observer.
“We have to be smart, and we have to be aware like never before because the wrong decision could jeopardize the next generation,” he said.
Why Black voters were the audience in Mark Robinson ads
Jollet said Progress North Carolina Action identified individuals for the ads who “reflect the diverse makeup of North Carolina.” However, the ads were not produced to sway Black voters. Instead, they allow voters to make informed decisions about candidates, she said.
“I trust and believe in the general public that they can make that decision for themselves,” said Jollet.
Black voters were largely the focus of the ads because of Robinson’s past vocal attacks against Black interests, said Jollet.
Jollet, however, acknowledges that some conservative Black voters may sympathize with Robinson. But she affirms that the ads do not promote opposition to his campaign but inform the public of Robinson’s sentiments.
“We simply wanted to make sure that people were clear of the array of things he has said about the Black community, then they can do their own research about the things he has said.”
In response to the ads, a spokesman for Robinson’s campaign described the group in a statement as “another far-left, partisan group pushing extremist priorities.”
“They’re completely out of step with North Carolinians and desperate to cover up the racist smears from Joe Biden, Josh Stein and the Democrats,” said Mike Lonergan, the campaign’s communications director.
Mark Robinson’s support among Black NC voters
A Meredith Poll released in February, a month before the statewide primary election, showed that just 3% of likely Black voters would vote for Robinson over Stein in the general election.
A Carolina Journal poll found that just 14% of Black voters say they would definitely or probably vote for Robinson in November.
In a March WRAL News poll, just 13% of Black voters said they have a very or somewhat favorable view of Robinson, and 45% of Black voters said Robinson’s statements about women, LGBTQ+ people, and the Jewish community make them less likely to vote for him, the Observer previously reported.
This story was originally published June 21, 2024 at 1:30 PM.