The campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris is stepping up its strategy of associating former President Donald Trump with Mark Robinson, the North Carolina gubernatorial candidate currently embroiled in a scandal surrounding explicit online comments. As the presidential race intensifies, the Harris campaign is looking to leverage this controversy to secure essential swing states, such as North Carolina.
During a press conference at Trump Tower in New York City in late September, Trump was noncommittal when asked if he would withdraw his endorsement of Robinson in light of the recent allegations about the Lieutenant Governor’s explicit online posts. “I don’t know the situation,” stated Trump, swiftly shifting the focus to other matters.
A CNN report connected Robinson to comments made in a pornographic forum, in which he self-identified as a “black NAZI!” and expressed support for slavery. Robinson has strongly denied these claims, but the report has already resulted in the resignation of several staff members and an increasing backlash from the Republican establishment.
Responding to Trump’s evasion, Harris campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa was critical: “It’s impossible to believe that, somehow, Donald Trump missed the news about his handpicked candidate for governor calling himself a ‘Nazi.’”
The Harris campaign is amplifying its focus on the relationship between Trump and Robinson, aiming to use this as an advantage in the crucial battleground state of North Carolina. ABC 11 reported, “There’s an unlikely star in Kamala Harris’ push to win North Carolina: Mark Robinson.” The campaign’s volunteers are highlighting Robinson’s contentious comments and Trump’s ongoing support, particularly as Robinson’s allies begin to distance themselves. For instance, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican member of the Republican Governors Association, retracted his support this week.
While Trump has previously lauded Robinson as “one of the great leaders in our country,” he has noticeably refrained from mentioning him at recent campaign events in North Carolina. The Harris campaign continues to spotlight Trump’s endorsement of Robinson, and ABC 11 reported that “Democrats aren’t making it so easy for Trump to distance himself.”
In the same New York press conference, Trump spent a significant portion criticizing Harris, inaccurately blaming her for immigration issues and making baseless claims. “She lost 325,000 children, and they’re either dead, being sold into sex slavery or just plain missing,” Trump alleged, without evidence, linking Harris to the deaths and disappearances of children at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump’s assertions have been broadly discredited, seeming to be derived from flawed interpretations of an August report from the Department of Homeland Security. The report indicated that 32,000 migrant children missed their scheduled immigration court hearings. However, there is no supporting evidence for Trump’s allegations.
During the press conference, Trump also pledged to undertake mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, proposing a strategy similar to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s “Operation Wetback.” “This will be much larger than that, but we will get rid of the drug dealers, human traffickers, and murderers,” Trump asserted.
North Carolina is emerging as a focal point in the 2024 election, with the state being among the most competitive. Trump won North Carolina by a slim 1.3 percentage points in 2020, but the Harris campaign is hopeful that Robinson’s scandal could provide Democrats the advantage necessary to secure the state’s 16 electoral votes.
However, some within the Harris campaign express concern that even with Robinson’s scandal, winning North Carolina might remain a challenge for Democrats. Volunteer Vernon Daughtry expressed optimism that the controversy could still influence the race. “I hope he brings Trump down,” Daughtry said, referring to Robinson.
Despite these apprehensions, the Harris campaign remains confident that spotlighting Robinson will resonate with voters, especially among North Carolina’s suburban, college-educated residents and the growing Hispanic and African American communities. These demographics could play a decisive role in a state where no Democrat has won since Barack Obama’s victory in 2008.
As the controversy surrounding Robinson continues to develop, its impact on Trump’s standing in North Carolina remains unclear. Nonetheless, the Harris campaign is committed to using every aspect of the scandal to benefit their cause.
