In a recently released ad, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for North Carolina governor, who previously declared “there is no compromise on abortion,” shares his wife’s personal abortion story, signaling what appears to be a shift in his stance.
In the ad, published on Aug. 2 across the politician’s various media channels, Robinson and his wife, Yolanda Hill, sit hand-in-hand as the gubernatorial nominee recalls him and his wife’s difficult decision
30 years ago to have an abortion, explaining his reasoning for standing by the state’s current law to allow abortions up to 12 weeks. Robinson says the current law “provides common sense exceptions for life of the mother, incest and rape.” He believes the law is helpful for mothers and avoids “cruel late-term abortions.”However, the politician’s empathetic gesture doesn’t seem to align with statements he previously vocalized on the issue, and Democratic nominee Josh Stein, who supports abortion rights, has reminded voters of that in his ads this year.
“Abortion in this country is not about protecting the lives of mothers. It’s about killing the child because you weren’t responsible enough to keep your skirt down,” Robinson previously stated, according to an ad published on Stein’s YouTube channel.
According to the Associated Press, the GOP candidate’s impression that he is comfortable with the current law comes after the country has seen a rise in support for legal abortion ahead of the November elections, posing a potential risk for Republicans on the election ballots.
Some voters fear Republicans may push for a national abortion ban if they win government seats, and as previously noted by BLACK ENTERPRISE, former U.S. President Donald Trump has left decisions on abortion rights up to the states, declining to endorse a national ban.
Robinson concluded his ad by reassuring mothers they would have the support they needed if he won the governor’s seat. On Instagram, the gubernatorial nominee stated that one of his priorities is to “do more”
for mothers and families.