North Carolina Lt. Governor and gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson speaks prior to a speech by Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump during a campaign event at Harrah’s Cherokee Center on August 14, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Grant Baldwin | Getty Images
A political network funded primarily by billionaire businessman Charles Koch has been quietly promoting the policy positions of North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson despite numerous controversies, according to records uncovered by CNBC.
Cork-backed Americans for Prosperity It ran digital ads supporting Robinson this month and is also funding a door-to-door campaign in his support. Release A website urging voters to thank him for his work as lieutenant governor Podcasts And she invited him to an event featuring Sen. Ted Budd (R-Ill.) in April.
The digital ads began on September 1 and ran until September 14, according to AdImpact. CNN The report cited racist and violent comments that Robinson allegedly posted on a pornography forum more than a decade ago.
Robinson has denied writing many of the posts, but they were written by at least four people who were close to him during his North Carolina gubernatorial campaign. Resigned Within days of the report’s release, National Review reported that a total of eight staff members had resigned.
September Pro-Robinson ad Funding for AFP feature stories A message of praise to TThe lieutenant governor’s argument It also features a statement calling for an expansion of the state’s school voucher program, as well as testimony from Robinson himself. This type of voucher program uses taxpayer money that would normally be dedicated to public education to subsidize private school tuition.
“Today, thanks to the leadership of Lt. Governor Robinson and the North Carolina Legislature, families across our state can attend the school that best meets their children’s needs,” the AFP ad narrator says.
AFP said the “thank you” ads are not the same as endorsements, but are intended to reward public officials for supporting policies supported by the nonprofit.
That said, in an election year, any positive advertising, whether intentional or not, will have the effect of boosting a candidate’s campaign.
“While we are not involved in this election and are not endorsing Mark Robinson, we regularly thank public servants who do the right thing on policy, particularly when it comes to important issues like academic freedom,” an AFP spokesman told CNBC.
As of Monday, Robinson had refused to withdraw from the gubernatorial race and was trailing Democrat Josh Stein on average. 9.5 percentage pointsAccording to the Real Clear Politics average.
of Republican Governors Association The company announced Monday that it would not be making any further ad buys on Robinson’s behalf in the state.
Americans for Prosperity ran an ad in support of Robinson after many of his controversial comments. commentFor example, in February, Robinson suggested Transgender women should be arrested for using the women’s restroom.
America for Prosperity’s move to endorse Robinson on policy grounds surprised Republican strategists in North Carolina.
“We’ve known for months, even before Labor Day, that this wasn’t going to be a close race,” said Jonathan Bridges, a state Republican strategist who once worked for Robinson’s primary rival and former member of the House of Representatives. Mark WalkerRN.C. “Why would you still do something after Labor Day? If I were in that position, I probably wouldn’t do it.”
Chris McCoy, AFP’s North Carolina director until 2022, said AFP’s efforts to support Robinson mark a change of direction for the organization, which had abandoned its support for Robinson when he ran for lieutenant governor in 2018.
“The conversations were superficial, nothing deep,” McCoy said of AFP’s state-level deliberations about whether to back Robinson. “The idea was dead before it even got off the ground. I wouldn’t have even tried. Robinson is a polarizing figure.”
But six years later, Robinson won the Republican gubernatorial primary in March, with the support of former President Donald Trump.
Since then, the AFP has been going door-to-door with messages of appreciation related to Robinson’s policy positions, a spokesman confirmed, adding that the group does not equate this activity with endorsement.
The majority of the door-to-door canvassing was spent expressing gratitude to other state lawmakers besides Robinson, the spokesman said.
AFP is also urging visitors to its website to sign the letter. appreciate “He has taken a leadership role on issues that are important to North Carolina,” Robinson said.
AFP’s support for Robinson didn’t end with two digital adverts and a website.
According to social media, the group hosted Robinson, Budd and other state officials in Greensboro, North Carolina, in April to criticize President Joe Biden’s economic policies. Posts About the event.
AFP spoke to Robinson on the podcast “American Potential” a few months after he first announced his campaign. Governor.