Robinson touts Trump's economic policies in brief speech at Republican National Convention

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson was on the national stage again Monday, telling delegates at the Republican National Convention that President Joe Biden was to blame for high costs at the pump and in the grocery stores — and that Donald Trump would help improve the economy.

Robinson, an ally of Trump, is running for governor in North Carolina against Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein.

“Come November, I plan to be the first Black governor of North Carolina,” Robinson said.

Robinson was one of several Republican speakers Monday to advocate for Trump, who formally won the nomination Monday at the convention in Milwaukee.

Robinson gave an abbreviated version of a familiar everyman stump speech, focusing on the economy, the top issue for voters. He grew up poor in a big Greensboro family. As an adult, he said, he lost jobs due to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

“As governor, I will not forget where I came from or the struggles of the people that I meet,” Robinson said, telling the audience that he went bankrupt, losing a car and a house.

Robinson, a fiery speaker who captivates conservative audiences, is a rising star in the GOP. He became North Carolina's first Black lieutenant governor when he was first elected in 2020, due in large part to his fame from a 2018 viral video talking about gun rights. He had never held political office before his 2020 victory.

Like Trump, Robinson is a highly polarizing figure, earning himself staunch critics as well as passionate supporters inside and outside his party. In social media posts and podcast appearances, he has advanced Holocaust denialism and conspiracy theories about Jewish people — a history he’s tried to counteract in recent months with a trip to Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war. Robinson is also vocally anti-gay, telling one church audience in March that the reason God created him was to fight against LGBTQ issues. He enjoys massive support among evangelical Christians and pro-gun activists, two key parts of the GOP base.

Robinson steered clear of those subjects Monday, focusing on his story and his support for Trump, who he called the “Braveheart of our time,” referring to the 1995 Mel Gibson movie about Scottish patriot William Wallace.

“Under President Trump, the American dream was alive and well,” Robinson said. “Under President Trump, there was hope and we need that now more than ever.”