Vernon Robinson - Politics and Public Service

Politics and Public Service

Robinson's numerous campaigns for office have included runs for North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction (1996), state Senate (1998), state House of Representatives (2002), U.S. Congress (2004, 5th District, NC), Chair of the NC Republican Party (2005), and U.S. Congress (2006, 13th District, NC). He served two terms on Winston-Salem's City Council as one of only two Republicans. In 2005 he was defeated by Democrat Molly Leight, garnering 922 votes against her 1,665. Criticism mounting up to his loss included his 2004 placement of a 1-ton Ten Commandments and Bill of Rights monument at City Hall (which had to be removed). Robinson congratulated his opponent and spoke of his service as a councilmember. "I'm proud that I was sort of a watchdog on the council," he said.

According to a November 1, 2005, Winston Salem Journal article, of the 15 public safety committee meetings held during the preceding 2 years, Robinson missed seven, even though he was the committee's vice chair. During the same time period, Robinson also missed 20 of the 22 meetings of the public works committee, of which he was a member.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Robinson crusaded for school choice legislation as a measure to improve North Carolina public schools. As President of an education reform foundation, he authored articles on the topic, which were published in nonpartisan public policy digests.