GOP nominee for governor in North Carolina has a history of inflammatory words. It could cost Trump

COLFAX, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina conservatives who gathered recently over coffee and pancakes at the Olympic Family Restaurant to support Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson knew about some of the controversial things he has said previously, but they were inclined to be forgiving.

“He’s a good speaker. He made some mistakes in his past,” said Allan Jones, a 59-year-old truck driver, at the campaign event near his home in Colfax, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Raleigh. “Haven’t we all? Did we learn from them? Let’s go forward.”

Robinson, a favorite of former President Donald Trump, is the party’s nominee for governor in the November election. He is looking to succeed term-limited Democrat Roy Cooper in a state that has voted for Trump twice and has backed Republicans for the presidency all but once since 1980. Robinson is popular for his working-class history and a blunt speaking style that at times resembles Trump’s.

But Robinson also has a history of inflammatory comments that his opponent, Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein, has said makes him too extreme to lead North Carolina. It raises the prospect that campaign struggles for Robinson could hurt Trump’s chances to win a state he cannot afford to lose to Democrat Kamala Harris.

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