Opinion: The NC GOP wins the weird olympics

Over the last decade, many descriptors have been used against candidates aligned with Trump’s MAGA agenda from ‘threats to democracy’ and ‘corrupt’ to ‘fascist’ and ‘hateful.’ However, in the past month, the rejuvenated team behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential run have settled on a new term – “weird.” 

This  attack has sliced its way under the skin of former President Trump, his sidekick, J.D. Vance, and Republicans across the board. But, the question must be asked: who is the most weird… who is the winner of the weird olympics? The answer couldn’t be more obvious. 

North Carolina’s Republican Party. 

Mark Robinson leads the ticket with his run for Governor – and he could not possibly be any more weird. Robinson spends his time denying the holocaust, regretting the 19th amendment, hating on basketball – a very peculiar choice when running in the Tarheel state – fear-mongering over queer people, and spewing hate from church altars. 

Robinson and his wife, Yolanda, are also under an ongoing investigation by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for stealing from a federal taxpayer-funded program intended to assist childcare facilities in providing meals for children. Moreover, the Robinsons ran a childcare center of their own that was cited for unsanitary conditions, falsifying documents (including criminal background checks), and endangering children. 

His opponent, on the other hand, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, is running on his record of bringing justice to rape victims, combating the opioid crisis, and holding vape companies accountable. The contrast only makes one thing more clear: Mark Robinson is not only irresponsible, disgusting, and a vile choice for our state’s highest office, but is weird – very, very weird. 

Robinson’s primary competition for gold? Michele Morrow. Morrow is running to lead all K-12 schools in North Carolina; so you’d think her priorities might include paying teachers more, prioritizing funding for public schools, and keeping students safe, right? Haha, no. 

Morrow’s priorities? If her past comments are any indication, they might include: Executing President Biden, advocating for the pay-to-view murder of President Obama by firing squad, eliminating Bill Gates for providing Covid vaccine funding, supporting the proud boys, and storming the capitol. Morrow doesn’t have a lick of policy in her bones. She spews the exact same revolting hate that leads to violence in our nation’s schools.

Morrow would follow in the footsteps of Robinson and endanger children, steal taxpayer funding (via private school voucher scams), and destroy North Carolina’s public school system. 

Mo Green is also running for superintendent; however, his priorities are quite different. Green focuses his campaign on making schools safer, investing in our education system, and respecting our teachers. Unlike Morrow, he doesn’t spend his time alienating students and faculty, and unlike Morrow, he is running to improve North Carolina public schools – not destroy them. Morrow in comparison seems… so, so weird. 

What’s clear is this – North Carolina’s Republican candidates are out-of-touch, unfocused, and simply, weird. They would rather spew hate and tell of dark days in our nation and state than discuss thoughtful policy and work towards a better, brighter tomorrow. They are incapable of leading. Trump, Robinson, Morrow, and their rhetoric must be firmly rejected at the ballot box.