Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson seemed to be already slouching toward his own second coming by noon on Election Day, even before the votes were counted.
According to him, the campaign was long and hard, but he would probably look back on it and say, “Gosh, I miss that, I want to do it again.” He said this to reporters outside the Caldwell Community Building, which was a polling place in rural Orange County.
Everyone laughed.
The candidate who often gets angry and has a history of using violent religious rhetoric sounded completely at ease at one of his last campaign stops.
As he walked slowly through the small group of Republican volunteers, he shook their hands and thanked them for their work.
Someone from the Republican group told Mark, “You look tired.” “Are you okay?”
Robinson laughed and said, “I am tired but good.” His voice was hoarse.
After saying hello to the Republican volunteers, he crossed the aisle, which was a thin strip of concrete that separated the Republican and Democratic tents, and extended his hand to the Democratic volunteers.
One of the Democrats shook his hand and said, “I am not voting for you.”
Smith said with a small smile, “Hey, that is how it works.”
A fan thanked Robinson for running as he was leaving. Someone spoke up and said, “We know the forces of hell that are coming against you.”
Robinson said, “That is right, that is quite right.”
Of course, Robinson lost the election by 15 points across the whole state.
Plus, he did win most of the votes in the Caldwell precinct he went to on Election Day, but he definitely lost the Orange County vote, as most moderate to conservative precincts joined Chapel Hill and Hillsborough in voting against him by more than 60 points.
Still, Robinson’s core supporters, about 70 of them, at his watch party at Raleigh’s fancy City Club, 29 stories above the State Capitol building, did not seem scared of the impending landslide on election night.
Fans did not change their minds or lose faith, even when Fox News called the race against Robinson just six minutes after the polls closed. As supporters sipped wine and ate appetizers, they watched Spectrum News for the national results.
“I have not seen Mark yet,” said a woman who was dressed very well but did not want to be interviewed.
After about an hour, campaign staff began leading partygoers to a room with a podium. At the same time, a worker handed out pink signs that said “Women for Robinson” and red hats that said “Robinson for governor.”
Robinson gave a defiant concession speech when he got on stage. He linked his political crusade to his faith and reassured his supporters that the future was still bright.
“What is the first thing we are always going to do?” he asked the crowd, which was made up of people of different races but mostly older people.
They yelled back, “Thank God!”
A political battle had been lost, and he said, “It does not look like it is going our way tonight.” People in the audience yelled in shock, but he held up a finger to get their attention and reminded them of the larger, biblical movement.
“But things always work out for the best, no matter what other people think.” Faithful people know things are going well because they have read the back of the book and know how everything ends.
The people who want to spread evil and wrong and call it right will not win. They might do well for a while, but we will win in the end.
He also said he was excited to spend time with his grandchildren and made a reference to a possible future run.
“It is about the state you love, and I fully intend to continue to serve that state for the next two months. Who knows, maybe I will be back in office somewhere in the future, I do not know.”
(The Assembly said that North Carolina politicians are already thinking about a primary for the Senate in 2026 between Robinson and Thom Tillis, who is currently serving his second term.)
Joetta MacMiller, who lives in Durham, told INDY that she would definitely back another Robinson run. MacMiller has liked Robinson since the 2018 speech to the Greensboro City Council that made him famous in politics.
“He spoke out and said a lot of the same things we were all thinking, but he said them.” “He stood up for all of us and was firm,” MacMiller said.
Robinson and his wife, Yolanda, went around the room after his speech to greet their guests. Five supporters prayed with their hands together in the corner.
One said, “This is not the end.” “It really is the start.”
