As North Carolinians, and probably many people outside the state, know, there has been bad blood between Gov. Roy Cooper (D) and Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson (R) since day one.
First of all, the obvious problem is that they are members of opposing parties with completely different political goals. But beyond that there are differences in tactics and personality; Cooper is the guy who loves to jingle your leg and tell you it’s just raining, while Robinson, on the other hand, is never afraid to call things as he sees them, even if that means political Throwing correctness out the window.
SEE ALSO: Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson riles Democrats during House hearing on voting laws
Partly because of questions surrounding CNN’s September report alleging that Robinson made numerous controversial posts on a pornography website between 2008 and 2012 (allegations that Robinson filed a lawsuit against them), his gubernatorial campaign failed to appeal to voters did not gain enough traction to send him into the election.
As a result, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D) is now our elected governor.
But because there’s never a boring moment in North Carolina politics, rumors are swirling that Robinson is preparing to leave Cooper — and Stein — as a parting gift out the door:
Gov. Roy Cooper is in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday pushing for hurricane funding. According to the state constitution, Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson is the acting governor due to his foreign travels.
A source close to Robinson said he is considering signing a bill that is expected to pass in the North Carolina Senate this afternoon that would shift power from elected Gov. Josh Stein and other newly elected Democrats.
The bill also includes some funding and recovery measures for Helene, and the source says Robinson wants to bring needed aid to Western North Carolina immediately.
It was Robinson, not Cooper, who took the lead in the early days of Hurricane Helene’s devastation in western North Carolina, setting up around-the-clock air convoys to assist in search and rescue operations and maintain the supply chain at a critical time after the sturdy storm.
He also provided essential updates on the ground and ensured that the voices of people in Western North Carolina who felt stranded were heard not only by state leaders, but also by the federal government.
Stein, meanwhile, held a campaign fundraiser two days after the attack in western North Carolina.
In any case, Robinson was asked on Wednesday if the rumors were true. He says that this is not the case and that he has no plans to sign the bill into law during Cooper’s absence:
Full Robinson on the possibility of signing the Helene/power shift/electoral changes bill tonight: “It’s just rumors. As always, these are just rumors. No, we have no plans to do that. We don’t have that.” #ncpol https://t.co/oDdGPXegwu
— Brian Murphy (@MurphinNC) November 20, 2024
Had Robinson chosen to do so, there were questions about whether it would remain in place, even though technically the lieutenant governor is the acting governor when the governor is out of state.
The bill in question passed the House of Representatives and, as I wrote this, it also passed the Senate. Cooper will undoubtedly veto:
After the fireworks, #SB382 passes 30-19. @RoyCooperNC will veto but will not play a role #NCGA plans to override his veto in December.
If it comes into force, there will be more disasters #WNC. No longer @NCSBE Appt performance for @NC_Governor. No longer @NCAGO Power to violate state law. A large win for NC! #ncpol pic.twitter.com/sm97QWdsFI
— Clay McCreary (@ClayMcCreary) November 20, 2024
And while the state’s Republicans hold an absolute majority in both chambers by the end of the year, three Republican members of the House voted with Democrats against the bill, which could lead to a occasional scenario in which a Cooper veto would be upheld.
As always, stay tuned.
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