TOI World Desk
Donald Trump will visit North Carolina this Saturday without the state’s controversial Republican gubernatorial candidate, Mark Robinson.
The Trump campaign confirmed Robinson would not be attending, following a recent CNN report that surfaced controversial remarks he allegedly made.
Robinson, who currently serves as the state’s lieutenant governor, reportedly referred to himself as a “Black Nazi” and suggested bringing back slavery on a pornography website.
Robinson has denied these allegations and remains committed to his gubernatorial run. His campaign was unavailable for comment.
Despite the controversy, Trump has not addressed the allegations against Robinson. One Trump adviser suggested that Trump should stay silent to avoid further fueling the issue.
“Ignore it, and let it die,” the adviser said.
Robinson’s candidacy became a concern for some Republicans in North Carolina, where Trump and Kamala Harris are virtually tied in the polls ahead of the November 5 election.
Some party members worry that Robinson’s history of inflammatory remarks—calling LGBTQ+ individuals ‘filth,’ referring to Muslims as ‘invaders,’ and denying the Holocaust—could hurt Trump’s chances in the battleground state.
Ahead of Trump’s rally in Wilmington, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) launched a series of ads in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro, linking Trump to Robinson.
The ads show Trump and Robinson together, alongside quotes from Trump praising Robinson as an ‘outstanding person’ and ‘incredible gentleman.’ The Harris campaign also aired a TV ad in North Carolina on Friday, highlighting Trump’s praise for Robinson.
Meanwhile, Robinson has been trailing his Democratic opponent, Josh Stein, even before the CNN report.
Political experts, including Chris Cooper of Western Carolina University, said that in the state Trump won by just 1.3 percentage points in 2020, any fallout from the Robinson scandal could jeopardize Republican chances and could flip the state to Harris.
Republican US Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina responded to the allegations against Mark Robinson by stating on X that “we must focus on the races we can win,” highlighting the presidential race while avoiding any mention of Robinson’s candidacy.
The Trump campaign confirmed Robinson would not be attending, following a recent CNN report that surfaced controversial remarks he allegedly made.
Robinson, who currently serves as the state’s lieutenant governor, reportedly referred to himself as a “Black Nazi” and suggested bringing back slavery on a pornography website.
Robinson has denied these allegations and remains committed to his gubernatorial run. His campaign was unavailable for comment.
Despite the controversy, Trump has not addressed the allegations against Robinson. One Trump adviser suggested that Trump should stay silent to avoid further fueling the issue.
“Ignore it, and let it die,” the adviser said.
Robinson’s candidacy became a concern for some Republicans in North Carolina, where Trump and Kamala Harris are virtually tied in the polls ahead of the November 5 election.
Some party members worry that Robinson’s history of inflammatory remarks—calling LGBTQ+ individuals ‘filth,’ referring to Muslims as ‘invaders,’ and denying the Holocaust—could hurt Trump’s chances in the battleground state.
Ahead of Trump’s rally in Wilmington, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) launched a series of ads in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro, linking Trump to Robinson.
The ads show Trump and Robinson together, alongside quotes from Trump praising Robinson as an ‘outstanding person’ and ‘incredible gentleman.’ The Harris campaign also aired a TV ad in North Carolina on Friday, highlighting Trump’s praise for Robinson.
Meanwhile, Robinson has been trailing his Democratic opponent, Josh Stein, even before the CNN report.
Political experts, including Chris Cooper of Western Carolina University, said that in the state Trump won by just 1.3 percentage points in 2020, any fallout from the Robinson scandal could jeopardize Republican chances and could flip the state to Harris.
Republican US Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina responded to the allegations against Mark Robinson by stating on X that “we must focus on the races we can win,” highlighting the presidential race while avoiding any mention of Robinson’s candidacy.