Any conservative politician hoping to evoke a simpler time and place where small-town values prevailed could do worse than Mayberry.

And as Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson worked his way from table to table Wednesday night at a restaurant on Mount Airy’s Andy Griffith Parkway, there were plenty of friendly hugs, laughter and well wishes to go around. 

Robinson joked with a woman in a white suit about her handling a plate of ribs with no accidents. He signed “Robinson” T-shirts and took selfie after selfie.

His mood sharpened, however, as he stood in the middle of the restaurant and delivered a tight three-and-a-half minute stump speech praising Republican accomplishments at the Legislature and criticizing his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein. 

“My opponent likes to talk about what I said on Facebook 10 years ago,” Robinson said. “He likes to lie about the day care center that my wife and I ran, which was a wonderful center, one of the best experiences of our life.”

He criticized Stein’s record back to his time in the General Assembly. “Back when he was in the Legislature, in 2008, him and his buddies were in control of this state. The state was $6 billion in debt to the federal government, furloughing state workers, and teachers didn’t get a raise for six years. … He cannot deny the fact that he was a horrible legislator. He’s been a horrible attorney general, and he will be a terrible governor.”

The stop in Surry County was one of many recent stops. Robinson’s post-Labor Day campaign went into overdrive after more than a week of polling showing Stein with an average edge of about 6 points. On Tuesday, Robinson visited diners and restaurants in towns ranging from the Charlotte suburb of Concord in Cabarrus County to the tiny Montgomery County seat of Troy, population 2,945. Robinson is continuing his tour Thursday, with stops scheduled in Mooresville, Newton, Shelby and Denver.

Campaign spokesman Mike Lonergan said Wednesday that the polling deficit is closing, pointing to recent results on project.fivethirtyeight.com. “We’ve seen just a few credible polls within the last week that show that he’s closing the gap,” he said. “As he continues to barnstorm the state, we’re going to see that trend continue.”

Earlier in the afternoon, shop owners and workers along Mount Airy’s main drag weren’t eager to talk politics. Businesses cater to fans of “The Andy Griffith Show,” which aired from 1960 to 1968 and has been in syndication ever since.

Griffith was born in Mount Airy and believed to have based the fictional town of Mayberry on it.

The town has returned the favor. Mount Airy today boasts Floyd’s Barbershop, the Mayberry Hotel & Gift Shoppe and Opie’s Candy Store.

Mount Airy’s city clerk, Nicki Brame, said she isn’t surprised that partisan discussions were hard to come by on Main Street, which she said draws crowds from all over because of its small-town feel as well as its “Andy Griffith”-themed efforts.

“We don’t care if you’re Democrat, Republican or whatever,” she said. “We just want you to come and enjoy yourself.”

Malinda Riggs, who owns Pilot Mtn. Guns and Ammo, said she and everyone in her community became aware of Robinson soon after his comments against gun regulation to the Greensboro City Council in 2018 went viral. “Everybody in the gun industry was talking about it,” she said.

She said she expects Robinson to do very well in Surry County. “We are truly a Bible Belt county,” she said. “There’s a church on every corner — Republicans tend to follow biblical beliefs. We support Mark Robinson because he is pro-Second Amendment and he is very well grounded in his biblical beliefs and is not afraid to let everybody know it.”

Riggs said she has seen Robinson speak at NRA events. She isn’t bothered by negative reports she has read about his controversial comments or actions. “Everybody is a sinner.”

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For questions or comments, or to pass along story ideas, please write to Clifton Dowell at [email protected] or @StateAffairsNC on X.

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