Updated as of 10:11 p.m. on March 5 to include comment from those at the event, as well as additional photos.
With 39 out of 39 precincts reported according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is the lead Republican nominee with nearly 69% of the casted votes. Robinson ran against State Treasurer Dale Folwell and Salisbury Attorney Bill Graham in the primary election.
The Associated Press called the Republican Gubernatorial race in favor of Robinson at around 8 p.m. with just under 2% of votes casted.
The Democratic governor race was also called in favor of North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, and the two will face off in the general election in November.
Billy Stanley, Robinson’s former personal trainer, attended the event with his wife and two children. Stanley said he’s excited for Robinson to show his kids the democratic process and said Robinson exemplifies the American Dream.
“Mark Robinson is an average guy,” Stanley said. “When you tell kids, ‘Hey anyone can be governor or president,’ now you see just the average guy come in off the street and be elected governor.”
Robinson thanked his supporters for their hard work and withstanding attacks from opponents to make it through the primary race. Robinson, the first Black lieutenant governor in North Carolina, would be the first Black governor if elected. Robinson pointed to his family in the audience and thanked them for seeing him from childhood to where he is politically today.
“They’ve seen days of poverty, they’ve seen the days of hunger, they’ve seen the days of struggle, but like North Carolina herself, we’ve risen past that to see a better day,” Robinson said.
He credited the current economic surplus in the state to the Republican supermajority in the general assembly and Robinson encouraged supporters to vote for him to raise teachers’ pay, grow the state economy and continue to support state businesses. Robinson said he is the candidate to achieve this as he said he understands the working class — unlike his opponent..
“I have an opponent who doesn’t understand what it’s like to be at work and have the boss come and take you to a room and sit you down and tell you, ‘We’re moving this plant to Mexico, and there’s nothing you can do about it. And now you have to go and find another job,’” Robinson said.
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson addresses supporters at his primary election watch party on March 5.
Robinson supporter Kathy Foster came to the event from Davie County because she feels he is a down-to-earth candidate. Foster said she met Robinson before his campaign when she worked with his sister at her job at American Airlines.
“As long as he remembers his roots and where he came from, he’ll do well,” Foster said. “And I think he will. His wife’s got him grounded and he’s got those Christian roots.”
Foster said she remembers living in North Carolina in 2010 when the economy was in a deficit and hopes Robinson can continue the work of current North Carolina Republicans.