North Carolina Lieutenant Governor and gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson poses with Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump in Asheville, North Carolina, on August 14, 2024. before speaking at a campaign event at Harrah’s Cherokee Center.
Grant Baldwin | Getty Images
This political network is largely funded by billionaire industrialists Charles Koch Has been quietly peddling North Carolina Lieutenant Governor. Mark Robinson According to records disclosed by CNBC, despite a series of controversies, his policy stance is still worthy of praise.
Koch supported american prosperity Just this month, digital ads supporting Robinson also ran. It also funded a door-to-door campaign in support of Robinson, roll out He was interviewed on a website that encourages voters to thank him for the job he did as lieutenant governor. podcast and hosted him for an April event featuring Republican Sen. Ted Budd.
According to AdImpact, the digital ads began running on September 1st and will continue to run until September 14th. The ad aired just a few days ago CNN reported on racist and graphic comments Robinson posted on porn forums more than a decade ago.
Although Robinson denies that he wrote dozens of posts, at least four of his top aides were from the North Carolina gubernatorial campaign Resigned within days of the report being released. national review report A total of eight staff members resigned.
September Advertising in support of Robinson AFP special grant complimentary messages for tLieutenant Governor’s Advocacy Expanding the state’s school voucher program, and words from Robinson himself. These types of voucher programs use taxpayer funds normally spent on public education to subsidize private school tuition.
“Today, thanks to the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Robinson and the North Carolina General Assembly, families across the state have access to schools that best fit their children’s needs,” a voiceover in the AFP ad said.
Agence France-Presse said the “thank you” ads do not amount to recognition, but are simply meant to reward elected officials who support policies supported by the nonprofit.
That said, in an election year, any positive advertising will have the effect of boosting a candidate’s campaign, whether that’s intentional or not.
An AFP spokesperson told CNBC: “We are not involved in this campaign and are not endorsing Mark Robinson, but we generally thank public officials when they take action on policy, especially one as important as educational freedom. on the issue.
As of Monday, Robinson refused to drop out of the gubernatorial race, in which he trailed Democrat Josh Stein evenly. 9.5 percentage pointsaccording to the Real Clear Politics average.
this Republican Governors Association It said Monday it has no plans to buy further advertising on Robinson’s behalf in the state.
Americans for Prosperity launches supportive ads after Robinson made many of his controversial comments Comment. Taking February as an example, Robinson suggests Trans women should be arrested if they use the women’s restroom.
Americans for Prosperity’s (AFP) move to support Robinson from a policy perspective surprised some Republican strategists in North Carolina.
“We’ve seen for months that even before Labor Day, this was not going to be a close race,” said state Republican strategist Jonathan Bush, who has worked for Robinson’s primary rival, former Rep. Jonathan Bridges said. Mark WalkerR.N.C. “Why are they still going to do anything after Labor Day? If I were in that position, I probably wouldn’t do it.”
Chris McCoy, who serves as AFP’s North Carolina director until 2022, said the AFP’s effort to support Robinson represents a shift for the organization after he first ran for state office in 2018 chose not to support him as lieutenant governor.
“These were superficial conversations with little depth to them,” McCoy said, describing AFP state-level deliberations over whether Robinson should be supported. “The concept was dead before it even got off the ground. Wouldn’t even try. Robinson is a polarizing figure.”
Yet six years later, Robinson won the March Republican gubernatorial primary with the support of former President Trump.
A spokesperson confirmed that since then, AFP has been knocking on doors to express gratitude related to Lt. Governor Robinson’s policy positions, adding that the organization does not consider the work to amount to endorsements.
Most of the door-knocking was spent thanking other members of the state Legislature other than Robinson, the spokesman said.
AFP also encourages visitors to its website to sign a letter grateful Robinson “leads on important issues in North Carolina.”
AFP’s support for Robinson went beyond two digital ads and a website.
The group hosted Robinson, Bader and other state officials in Greensboro, North Carolina, in April to attack President Joe Biden’s economic policies, according to social media reports. post about the event.
AFP also hosted Robinson on its podcast “American Potential,” months after he first announced his candidacy for president. governor.
