Mark Robinson attends Saturday event, days after scandal broke
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson reportedly appeared at a meet-and-greet event at Fayetteville Motor Speedway in Cumberland County on Saturday night, just days after a scandalous report thrust him into the spotlight.
The racetrack posted at midday Saturday on Facebook that the gubernatorial candidate would be in attendance.
Local station WNCN reported that Robinson was seen at the track, gave remarks and met some in the crowd. WNCN, like The Hill, is owned by Nexstar Media Group.
“We are running for governor to work for the people of North Carolina — because we are the people of North Carolina,” Robinson said, WNCN reported. “We’re going to focus on the issues you are concerned with.”
The local station said Robinson led the crowd in a prayer and met with several attendees.
Robinson did not, however, attend a rally in nearby Wilmington with former President Trump on Saturday afternoon. Trump did not mention the Republican candidate, either.
A CNN report published Thursday linked Robinson to offensive statements on adult websites, including comments supporting slavery and calling himself a “Black Nazi.”
Robinson denied the allegations in a video posted on the social platform X shortly before CNN published its report.
“Those are not the words of Mark Robinson. You know my words. You know my character,” Robinson said in the video.
According to The Fayetteville Observer, a representative of the racetrack’s box office said officials were not aware that Robinson would be at Saturday’s event, and representatives from the Cumberland County GOP office were also unaware. However, Shamike Bethea, Cumberland County chair of the Mark Robinson for Governor campaign and president of the Cumberland County Republican Women’s Club, gave details about the event in a Friday evening statement.
Robinson is on the ballot against Democratic candidate Attorney General Josh Stein. Robinson has received endorsements from Trump and other state Republicans.
Robinson’s campaign did not respond to The Hill’s request for comment at this time, and Fayetteville Motor Speedway did not respond to calls from a Hill reporter.
Updated at 6:55 p.m.