Hitler-quoting candidate who called gays 'maggots' invited to speak at RNC

North Carolina’s lieutenant governor and Republican nominee for governor Mark Robinson, who quoted Hitler on Facebook, has been given a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention this week.

In 2014, he quoted Hitler on Facebook, saying, "Pride in one's own race - and that does not imply contempt for other races - is also a normal and healthy sentiment." He "defended the post in a speech last July, saying quoting the Nazi leader doesn’t equate to supporting him," Mediaite noted.

“Because you quoted Hitler, you support Hitler,” Robinson said. “I guess every history book in America supports Hitler now. They all quote him.”

Robinson is also accused of downplaying the Holocaust.

“We often speak of the 'appeasement’ of Hitler. But the biggest ‘appeasement’ of ALL TIME is how we turned a blind eye to the clear and present danger of MARXISM,” Robinson said in a Facebook post from 2019.

“It is EXTREMELY distressing that many well-meaning and intelligent people are so focused on long dead Hitler while the living political descendants of Stalin are currently fighting to destroy our REPUBLIC,” Robinson wrote in a separate post days earlier.

Robinson was elected lieutenant governor of North Carolina in 2020, becoming the state's first Black lieutenant governor. Prior to entering politics, Robinson ran a small business and was known for his conservative political commentary, often speaking out against gun control and other liberal policies.

A former factory worker, Robinson has issued myriad controversial statements. The Guardian notes "he described Covid-19 as a 'globalist' conspiracy to destroy Donald Trump. In 2021, he criticized efforts to teach LGBTQ+ issues in sex education, referring to transgender and homosexual people as 'filth.' He has also said people who are gay are equivalent to 'what the cows leave behind' as well as 'maggots' and 'flies.'"

He gained national attention in 2018 after a viral video of him speaking passionately against gun restrictions at a city council meeting. As lieutenant governor, he has taken conservative stances on issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. He has also used the platform to advocate for gun rights and push back against what he sees as the "indoctrination" of students in public schools.

Despite his controversial views, Robinson remains a rising star in the Republican party in North Carolina. However, his brash communication style and unapologetic conservatism have also drawn criticism from Democrats and some moderates in the state.

Correction: A previous version of this article said Robinson could be a future gubernatorial candidate. He is actually the current Republican nominee for governor in North Carolina.