An angle worth exploring here is the role race plays in the overwhelmingly white GOP. For understandable reasons African Americans have long gravitated to the Democratic Party, even when the Democratic Party was mostly ignoring their priorities. The GOP has to be at least a little bit nervous about this. (Compare photos of the House Democratic caucus and the House Republican caucus standing on the Capitol steps. The contrast is glaring.) One result is that Black politicians can rise faster and farther in the GOP than they can in the Democratic Party, which has a very, very deep bench. I have a very hard time imagining a white Republican with Mark Robinson's views becoming the GOP gubernatorial candidate in a swing state like NC. (I do not, however, have a hard time imagining a white Republican with Mark Robinson's views, period.)
The Republicans aren't disavowing Robinson now, though they do seem to be backing off somewhat. How will the situation develop in the longer term? It'll be interesting to watch. I can imagine the GOP's harder-core white racists saying, at least in private, "See? This is what happens when you promote Black candidates." They've probably been thinking this all along.
I keep thinking about the story not that long ago suggesting Republicans silently want to lose in hopes of being able to usher in a party-wide reckoning. The length and impact of that reckoning is unknown and hard to predict as noise around the immediacy of the 2024 election clouds our political future.
If former Republicans want a change, they may have to start by rebranding. There's no rule the two major parties need the same names they've had all our lifetimes.
"Who will win the '28 election? The Democratic Party, or the [fill in the blank] Party?"
Just another vile GOP candidate. If the leaders who are left after this election do not regroup, expel the toxic members and get their act together, the party will (and should) cease to exist. Toxic members include 45 and his family, Rubio, McConnell, Graham, Vance, DiSantis, etc. So, most of them.
A large part of Nixon’s Southern Strategy was to bring in Southern Dixiecrats by promising to stall or even reverse integration. Politicians like Jesse Helms or Strom Thurman were the face of the movement … and at least they spoke in full sentences.
Now the 21st Century versions - Trump, JD Vance, Mark Robinson, Doug Mastriano, etc., etc. No full sentences, no shame, just unfiltered hate spewed endlessly.
And it’s all okay! A Republican Party rejecting Representative Steve King? Ah, those were the days! (Of sanity.)
How did Robinson even get elected Lt. Gov.?
Not to be snarky, but he won by beating his opponent. In Red (2020) NC, voters may choose the GOP candidate no matter what. (Imagine that!)
According to Wikipedia, Robinson was no less controversial then, either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_North_Carolina_lieutenant_gubernatorial_election
An angle worth exploring here is the role race plays in the overwhelmingly white GOP. For understandable reasons African Americans have long gravitated to the Democratic Party, even when the Democratic Party was mostly ignoring their priorities. The GOP has to be at least a little bit nervous about this. (Compare photos of the House Democratic caucus and the House Republican caucus standing on the Capitol steps. The contrast is glaring.) One result is that Black politicians can rise faster and farther in the GOP than they can in the Democratic Party, which has a very, very deep bench. I have a very hard time imagining a white Republican with Mark Robinson's views becoming the GOP gubernatorial candidate in a swing state like NC. (I do not, however, have a hard time imagining a white Republican with Mark Robinson's views, period.)
The Republicans aren't disavowing Robinson now, though they do seem to be backing off somewhat. How will the situation develop in the longer term? It'll be interesting to watch. I can imagine the GOP's harder-core white racists saying, at least in private, "See? This is what happens when you promote Black candidates." They've probably been thinking this all along.
I keep thinking about the story not that long ago suggesting Republicans silently want to lose in hopes of being able to usher in a party-wide reckoning. The length and impact of that reckoning is unknown and hard to predict as noise around the immediacy of the 2024 election clouds our political future.
If former Republicans want a change, they may have to start by rebranding. There's no rule the two major parties need the same names they've had all our lifetimes.
"Who will win the '28 election? The Democratic Party, or the [fill in the blank] Party?"
It was just announced this morning that the Republican Governor’s Association will not be paying for anymore ads for Robinson.
The fact that Mark Robinson is not going to win the governorship after this is indeed good for NC and the nation. But it is a very low bar.
Just another vile GOP candidate. If the leaders who are left after this election do not regroup, expel the toxic members and get their act together, the party will (and should) cease to exist. Toxic members include 45 and his family, Rubio, McConnell, Graham, Vance, DiSantis, etc. So, most of them.
A large part of Nixon’s Southern Strategy was to bring in Southern Dixiecrats by promising to stall or even reverse integration. Politicians like Jesse Helms or Strom Thurman were the face of the movement … and at least they spoke in full sentences.
Now the 21st Century versions - Trump, JD Vance, Mark Robinson, Doug Mastriano, etc., etc. No full sentences, no shame, just unfiltered hate spewed endlessly.
And it’s all okay! A Republican Party rejecting Representative Steve King? Ah, those were the days! (Of sanity.)