Republican rivals to Robinson report spending surge in North Carolina governor’s race

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Rivals to North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in Tuesday’s Republican gubernatorial primary outspent his campaign in the first seven weeks of 2024, according to finance reports that were due this week.

Through mid-February, Robinson continued to outpace fellow GOP candidates trial attorney Bill Graham and State Treasurer Dale Folwell in overall outside donations received and spending during this election cycle.

But Folwell and Graham, buoyed by self-financing of their campaigns, reported spending more than Robinson in recent weeks as absentee and early in-person voting began.

In next week’s five-person Democratic primary for governor, Attorney General Josh Stein continued to put up big numbers and had the most cash in his campaign coffers of any gubernatorial candidate. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is term-limited from seeking reelection.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«READ MORE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> READ MORE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> What is Super Tuesday? Why it matters and what to watch </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> North Carolina’s 5 open congressional seats drawing candidates in droves </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> They’re a path to becoming governor, but attorney general jobs are now a destination, too </bsp-custom-headline> </bsp-list-loadmore>

Graham’s campaign told the State Board of Election that it received $1.82 million between Jan. 1 and Feb. 17 — almost all coming from personal loans — and spent $1.87 million, with the