Former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, did not mention embattled Republican North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson during his rally speech in Wilmington on Saturday.
Robinson, whom Trump has endorsed for governor of North Carolina, has been a frequent presence at Trump’s North Carolina campaign events. However, Robinson did not speak at Saturday’s rally and Trump did not speak of him or of his recent scandal.
Earlier this week, Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign for the Tar Heel State was rocked by a CNN report alleging that Robinson made racist and sexist posts on a pornography site over a decade ago. Robinson has repeatedly denied writing the posts and has said he’ll stay in the race.
Robinson’s campaign communications director Mike Lonergan blamed the reported posts on Josh Stein, Robinson’s Democratic opponent, in a statement emailed to Newsweek on Friday.
“Everything Josh Stein [and] the Democrats say about Mark Robinson is either an outright lie or twisted so far out of context it might as well be,” Lonergan said. “The people of North Carolina have had enough lies from career politicians like Josh Stein—and that’s why they’ll elect Mark Robinson governor on November 5.”
Trump has praised Robinson in the past, calling the Black politician “Martin Luther King on steroids.” Following CNN’s report, the Trump campaign issued a vague statement that did not name Robinson but said North Carolina is a “vital part” of the plan to secure a second Trump victory.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Aero Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, September 21, 2024. Inset, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
AFP/Getty Images
