An commercial for a North Carolina Democrat’s marketing campaign tries to tie his Republican opponent to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the state’s Republican gubernatorial nominee who has known as for extra abortion restrictions.
State Rep. Terence Everitt, D-Wake Forest, who paid for the advert, is hoping to signify his area within the state Senate. He’s operating towards Republican political newcomer Ashlee Adams, a businesswoman and the advert’s goal.
“Ashlee Adams is working with Mark Robinson to take abortion rights away,” a narrator in Everitt’s advert says. The narrator goes on to say Adams “campaigned for Mark Robinson and his radical agenda.”
The advert then performs a clip of Robinson saying: “You can cross a invoice saying you may’t have an abortion in North Carolina for any motive.”
Political analysts consider the race for the open Senate seat might be one of many closest within the state — and Adams’ stance on abortion could possibly be a key issue within the race. The district she’s competing for consists of elements of populous Wake County, which is among the many state’s most liberal counties. However the district is taken into account a toss-up because it additionally incorporates all of conservative Granville County.
Everitt’s advert didn’t checklist any citations to help its claims about Adams campaigning for Robinson or his agenda. Additionally, the clip of Robinson is ambiguous and will not totally signify Robinson’s stance on the problem.
So, we contacted Everitt’s marketing campaign and the North Carolina Democratic Get together. Neither produced proof that Adams ever campaigned for Robinson or endorsed his agenda.
Adams on Robinson
Requested for proof that Adams campaigned for Robinson, an Everitt spokesperson stated the Adams marketing campaign posted a voter’s information on its Fb Aug. 25 that listed Robinson because the Republican gubernatorial candidate. The voter’s information was assembled by the Republican Girls’s Membership of Granville County.
The put up doesn’t seem on Adams’ Fb web page. An Aug. 25 put up on the Adams marketing campaign Fb web page does present a Republican voter’s information — however one which doesn’t embrace Robinson’s identify.
The Everitt marketing campaign and the state Democratic Get together consider Adams’ marketing campaign posted a information that included Robinson’s identify however later took it down. The state Democratic Get together supplied a picture that it claims is a screenshot of the unique put up.
“Ashlee Adams distributed a voter information that includes her and Mark Robinson; that put up, which inspires of us to vote for Mark Robinson, has since been deleted,” stated Tommy Mattocks, a spokesperson for the state Democratic Get together.
In a phone interview, Adams advised PolitiFact NC that she doesn’t recall posting something about Robinson or deleting any Fb put up about his candidacy.
That is Adams’ first run for workplace. She stated she by no means endorsed Robinson, campaigned with him, or labored with him in any capability.
“I met him for about six seconds for one occasion in Wake Forest at a restaurant known as Patronies,” Adams stated of a Republican candidate discussion board on Aug. 6.
“He was strolling out of the door and I used to be strolling into the door to provide my speech,” she stated. “That was it.”
PolitiFact NC discovered no proof of Adams endorsing Robinson or campaigning for him.
Adams and Robinson on abortion
Everitt’s marketing campaign advert makes use of a quote from Robinson that won’t precisely mirror his stance on abortion. Robinson’s place on abortion has been a transferring goal.
He as soon as referred to abortion as homicide and has known as for tightening North Carolina’s abortion legal guidelines. He beforehand stated he opposes exceptions to to the legislation for points similar to rape or incest.
In November 2023, Robinson’s marketing campaign spokesperson, Michael Lonergan, stated the lieutenant governor would help what’s often called a heartbeat invoice and exemptions “for excessive conditions like rape, incest, or when the lifetime of the mom is at risk.” A heartbeat invoice usually bans abortion after the sixth week of being pregnant.
Then, in August, Robinson’s marketing campaign launched an advert that stated he helps the state’s present legislation, which limits most abortions after the twelfth week of being pregnant whereas permitting for some exceptions. The advert didn’t say whether or not Robinson would signal or veto a invoice that known as for extra restrictions if elected governor.
Requested about Robinson’s abortion feedback, Adams stated “I’ve by no means accepted or endorsed something like that.”
Mattocks, the state Democratic social gathering spokesperson, famous that Adams has had quite a few alternatives to disavow Robinson and his views — on her personal web sites and on candidate questionnaires — however hasn’t.
Adams says she hasn’t disavowed Robinson as a result of she by no means endorsed him within the first place, and Robinson hasn’t endorsed her both. On Oct. 10, Adams’ marketing campaign launched a tv advert rebutting the claims about her in Everitt’s advert.
“I’ll by no means vote for an excessive abortion ban and I totally help widespread sense exceptions and your proper to IVF therapy,” she stated, referring to fertility therapy. “These advertisements from Terence Everitt — they’re lies from a determined politician.”
Adams advised PolitiFact NC that she helps North Carolina’s present abortion legislation. Adams beforehand labored as a trauma nurse at WakeMed Raleigh, and stated the expertise influenced her views on the problem.
“I’ve held the hand of a girl as she handed away from a again alley abortion,” Adams stated.
PolitiFact NC requested Adams whether or not she would help any further abortion restrictions.
“Till I get into workplace and see a invoice that’s in entrance of me, I can’t reply that,” Adams stated. “I can’t think about proper now that I’d” vote for any further restrictions, she stated.
Our ruling
Everitt’s marketing campaign advert claims Adams “campaigned for Mark Robinson and his radical agenda.”
Neither Everitt’s marketing campaign nor the state Democratic Get together produced any onerous proof — similar to images or video — displaying that Adams ever campaigned with Robinson. Nor did they cite any information tales or recordings of Adams endorsing Robinson or his abortion views.
We charge this declare False.
