Mark Robinson, lieutenant governor of North Carolina and candidate for governor, speaks prior to Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaking at a campaign event at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina, on Aug. 14, 2024.
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The political network largely funded by billionaire industrialist Charles Koch has been quietly touting North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson for his policy positions despite a litany of controversies, according to records uncovered by CNBC.
The Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity ran digital advertisements supporting Robinson as recently as this month. It’s also funded pro-Robinson door knocking, launched a website that encouraged voters to thank him for his work as lieutenant governor, interviewed him on a podcast and hosted him for an April event featuring Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C.
The digital ads began running Sept. 1 and continued to air through Sept. 14, according to AdImpact. The ads aired just days before CNN reported on racist and graphic comments Robinson allegedly posted on a porn forum over a decade ago.
Though Robinson has denied he wrote the scores of posts, at least four of his top aides from his North Carolina gubernatorial campaign resigned within days of the report’s publication. The National Review reported a total of eight staffers have resigned.
The September pro-Robinson ads funded by AFP feature a message of praise for the lieutenant governor’s advocacy to expand the state’s school voucher program, as well as a testimonial from Robinson himself. These types of voucher programs use taxpayer funds typically spent on public education to subsidize private school tuitions.
“Now today, thanks to lieutenant governor Robinson and leadership in the North Carolina general assembly, families across the state have access to the school that best fits their child’s needs,” a voiceover for the AFP ads says.
AFP says the “thank you” ads are not the same as an endorsement, but merely intended to reward elected officials who back policies the nonprofit supports.
That said, during an election year any positive ads will have the effect of boosting the candidate’s campaign, whether this is deliberate or not.
“We have not engaged in this race or endorsed Mark Robinson, but we routinely thank public officials when they do the right thing on policy — especially when it comes to an issue as important as education freedom,” AFP’s spokesman told CNBC.
As of Monday, Robinson had…
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