He has been vocal about his belief that “abortion is murder,” a stance he reiterated despite advice to soften his language as a candidate.
A review by Rolling Stone of Robinson’s public comments and social media posts reveals that he has labeled abortion as murder dozens of times. His extreme views on the topic have become a focal point of his gubernatorial campaign, drawing sharp criticism from his Democratic opponent, who has released ads featuring Robinson’s anti-abortion sound bites.
In one clip, Robinson said, “Let’s say I was the governor, I had a willing legislature, we could pass a bill saying you can’t have an abortion in North Carolina for any reason.” In another, he declares, “For me there is no compromise on abortion, it makes no difference to me why or how that child ended up in that womb.” Robinson further argues, “Abortion in this country is not about protecting the lives of mothers. It’s about killing a child because you weren’t responsible enough to keep your skirt down.”
Robinson, now the Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina, a key battleground state, has taken a new approach by sharing a personal story in his campaign. In a recent direct-to-camera ad, he and his wife recount their experience with abortion, which he uses to frame his opposition to the practice.
“Thirty years ago, my wife and I made a very difficult decision. We had an abortion. It was like this solid pain between us that we never spoke of,” Robinson says in the ad. His wife adds, “It’s something that stays with you forever.” Robinson continues, “That’s why I stand by our current law, and it provides common sense exceptions for life of the mother, incest, and rape… When I’m governor, mothers in need will be supported.”
North Carolina currently bans abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, with limited exceptions for rape, incest, “life-limiting” fetal anomalies, and medical emergencies. Despite his previous hardline stance, Robinson now emphasizes the importance of supporting women and families, stating that he has not changed his views on abortion but has altered his approach.
“If I’m a person who is seen as an individual who’s standing on a stage pointing down at a young woman saying, ‘You can’t have an abortion,’ that is not the right approach,” Robinson said in a radio interview on Thursday. “The right approach is to come down off the stage, embrace that young woman, and tell them about the reasons why I believe she should choose life, and then ultimately leaving it up to her based on the laws that we have on the books. That’s the reason why we put that commercial out, and the reason why I was willing to do it. Because we feel like this is an issue of the heart. And if we’re going to ‘win on this issue,’ we’re going to win people over on this issue, we’ve got to show people that we care. Because we’ve got to show them how deeply it affects people.”
Robinson’s communications director, Mike Lonergan, defended the candidate’s stance, saying, “He is pro-life because of the painful and difficult experience he and his wife had, and his faith.” Lonergan also criticized Democrats, accusing them of supporting “taxpayer-funded, late-term abortion on demand.”
Robinson has previously acknowledged his wife’s abortion, stating in a 2022 video that his family is “adamantly pro-life” because of the experience. “We know what it’s like to be in that situation, and we know the pain that an abortion causes. For everyone that has had this experience and carries that burden, we want you to know you are not alone,” he said. “Furthermore, we have a savior who forgives us of our sins and offers us grace. No one is perfect, but no one is too far gone to be saved.”
Despite his recent attempts to soften his approach, Robinson has continued to use strong language to describe abortion. In a speech last year, he referred to abortion as “an affront to the Almighty” and “a scourge on humanity.” He also argued that society is “murdering human beings in the womb, hand over fist,” while caring more about protecting animals like manatees and kangaroo rats.
Robinson’s uncompromising stance on abortion is likely to remain a key issue in the upcoming gubernatorial , as both his supporters and opponents closely scrutinize his public statements and policy positions.
