Trump endorses Mark Robinson for North Carolina governor, calls him ‘Martin Luther King on steroids’
âI think youâre better than Martin Luther King," Trump says of Robinson
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) â Donald Trump has endorsed North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov Mark Robinson for governor, fulfilling a pledge the former president made several months ago.
At a rally Saturday in Greensboro, Trump compared Robinson, who is Black, to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the famed civil rights leader. Trump referred to Robinson as âMartin Luther King on steroids.â
Trump said Robinson wasnât sure how to respond when Trump compared him to the legendary civil rights leader, telling him: âI think youâre better than Martin Luther King. I think you are Martin Luther King times two.â
âYou should like it,â Trump said.
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Trump listed Robinson among several candidates that people should vote for in Tuesdayâs North Carolina Republican primaries, saying âthey have my complete and total endorsement.â Trump is also on the primary ballot as he seeks to all but eliminate his last remaining rival, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, from mathematical contention for the GOP nomination.
Despite the lack of a formal endorsement, the ex-presidentâs support combined with strong fundraising and popularity among the GOPâs base have helped make Robinson the GOPâs front-runner for the gubernatorial nomination.
Robinsonâs primary rivals â State Treasurer Dale Folwell and trial attorney Bill Graham â have questioned his ability to win the general election in November, particularly in light of harsh comments on LGBTQ+ rights and other issues.
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Trump called Robinson, who also spoke at Saturdayâs rally, an âincredible gentlemanâ and âgreat, natural speaker.â Trump recalled, with some imprecision, how Robinson rose to fame following a 2018 speech to the Greensboro City Council in support of gun rights and police that went viral.
That led Robinson to a National Rifle Association board position and being elected the stateâs first Black lieutenant governor in 2020 in his first bid for public office.
Robinson, a Greensboro native, said in a news release that he was âhumbledâ to have Trumpâs endorsement and looked forward to working with Trump to âlead our united Republican ticket to victory in November, and get our state and country back on track.â
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Voters also will choose a Democratic nominee for governor on Tuesday. The field includes Attorney General Josh Stein and former state Supreme Court Associate Justice Mike Morgan. Term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper endorsed Stein months ago.
State Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said the endorsement wasnât a surprise. North Carolina doesnât need a leader in Robinson who would âprioritize job-killing culture wars that take our state backward,â she added in a news release.
Statewide elections are usually close affairs in the nationâs ninth-largest state.
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