North Carolina
Could Mark Robinson cost Donald Trump North Carolina? Experts weigh in
North Carolina’s 2024 gubernatorial race took a dramatic turn last week when the campaign of controversial Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson was hit by a new scandal.
CNN reported allegations of racist and sexist posts Robinson allegedly made on a pornography forum, raising questions of whether Robinson’s troubles could extend beyond his own race and hurt former President Donald Trump’s bid for North Carolina.
The CNN report covered posts made on the forum by a user with a username tied to Robinson. The user made posts about enjoying transgender pornography (Robinson has publicly called transgender people “filth”), about desiring to own slaves, and in one post, the user described themself as a “Black Nazi.”
Woody Marshall/News & Record via AP
But could Robinson’s scandal cost Trump the critical state of North Carolina?
Newsweek contacted several North Carolina-based political analysts, who are split on the impact Robinson’s troubles will have on Trump’s 2024 prospects in the state.
Robinson, the GOP’s nominee for governor, has denied the allegations, calling them “salacious tabloid lies.” Nevertheless, the damage may already be done and many of his top staffers have since resigned.
Robinson, who Trump has previously endorsed and described as “like Martin Luther King on steroids” was notably absent from Trump’s rally in Wilmington last Saturday, a sign that the Trump campaign may be distancing itself from his increasingly embattled gubernatorial candidate.
Trump won North Carolina in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, albeit narrowly, and the latest polling aggregates show him just half a percentage point ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris in the state.
Impact on Trump Uncertain
Mitch Kokai, a political analyst at the John Locke Foundation, a conservative think tank, downplayed the idea that Robinson’s scandal would hurt Trump, telling Newsweek: “I doubt that Mark Robinson’s latest controversy will have much of an impact on Donald Trump at the top of the ticket. The former president has won North Carolina’s electoral votes twice, despite all of his own electoral baggage,” Kokai said.
He noted that Trump has been maintaining a lead in North Carolina polls, even as Robinson has fallen further behind Democratic rival Josh Stein in recent months.
Kokai added that Trump’s unique political brand, combined with his focus on issues like the economy and border security, is likely to insulate him from any fallout related to Robinson.
“Trump is likely to continue to hammer away at the same themes… It’s unclear whether that strategy will get him North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes, but it’s more likely to have an impact on the presidential race than Mark Robinson’s current predicament.”
Ticket-Splitting Tradition in North Carolina
David B. McLennan, a political science professor and pollster at Meredith University, offered a similar assessment, telling Newsweek that while Trump has consistently outpolled Robinson, the presidential race in North Carolina remains tight.
“Mark Robinson has always run behind Donald Trump in terms of voter preferences in polls,” McLennan said, adding that the margin widened in recent months.
He suggests that Trump may be “somewhat inoculated” from Robinson’s problems, though McLennan warned that in a margin-of-error race, even a slight dip in Trump’s numbers could be pivotal. “The loss of a few percentage points by Trump could matter.”
North Carolina has a history of ticket-splitting, with voters supporting candidates from different parties for state and national offices.
In the past two election cycles, voters backed Trump for president while re-electing Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.
McLennan predicted this trend to continue in 2024, with Trump running competitively against Harris, even if Robinson falters.
Robinson Could Damage GOP Brand
Chris Cooper, a professor of political science at Western Carolina University, agreed that ticket-splitting could be a saving grace for Trump.
However, he cautioned that Robinson’s scandal could still harm Trump if it dampens Republican enthusiasm.
“The bigger problem for Trump is if Robinson does damage the party brand enough that infrequent voters who lean Republican tend to stay home,” Cooper told Newsweek.
He said that, before the latest scandal, 8 percent to 12 percent of Trump voters were already planning to vote for Josh Stein over Robinson.
If that number grows, it could signal that Robinson’s candidacy is harming the party, though not necessarily Trump himself.
However, Cooper noted that predicting voter turnout, especially among occasional voters, is notoriously difficult. “Unfortunately for those who like to play the prediction game, that will be difficult, if not impossible to know until election day,” he added.
Demographic Shifts Could Play a Role
The changing demographics of North Carolina may also factor into how much Robinson’s scandal affects the GOP’s chances.
Susan Roberts, a political science professor at Davidson College, told Newsweek that many North Carolinians weren’t born in the state, and the influx of younger professionals could influence voter behavior.
“The demographic profile of North Carolinians is changing,” Roberts said, noting that many of these voters are unaffiliated and could be swayed by Robinson’s controversial views.
While Roberts did not believe Robinson’s troubles will drastically change minds about Trump, she suggested that some voters might skip the gubernatorial race while still casting a vote for president.
“I don’t think Robinson can necessarily pull Trump down,” she said, but acknowledged that unaffiliated voters might start to associate Trump with Robinson’s inflammatory rhetoric.
The Final Verdict? Unclear
For now, experts agree that Trump’s prospects in North Carolina are not entirely tied to Robinson’s fate.
While the scandal may have thrown Robinson’s campaign into turmoil, the real test will be whether it depresses turnout among Republican-leaning voters in a state Trump is likely to need to retake the White House.
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Wednesday, July 8, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 8 drawing
12-29-37-43-55, Powerball: 18, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 8 drawing
Day: 2-9-0, Fireball: 5
Evening: 7-9-6, Fireball: 6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 8 drawing
Day: 8-9-6-6, Fireball: 6
Evening: 3-4-8-5, Fireball: 4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from July 8 drawing
07-13-19-23-33
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from July 8 drawing
01-03-14-18-32
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 8 drawing
16-18-43-48-50, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
North Carolina
Damaged Flock camera in North Carolina town sparks online debate over surveillance tech
RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. (WLOS) — A damaged Flock Safety camera in Rutherfordton has reignited debate over the use of license plate reader technology, with thousands weighing in online after police shared a photo of the vandalized device.
The Rutherfordton Police Department posted an image of the damaged camera on social media, where the post quickly gained more than 20,000 comments. While some users condemned the vandalism, others praised the person responsible, with comments including “Not all heroes wear capes” and “Give them a medal.”
Local law enforcement officials said there is too much misinformation online about the cameras.
FLOCK CAMERA DAMAGED IN NORTH CAROLINA TOWN, PROMPTING POLICE STATEMENT
“We’re seeing a lot of misconceptions that these cameras collect more data than they actually do,” said Capt. Ryan Bailey with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. “The camera itself is only capturing the vehicle traveling down the road.”
Bailey said Flock cameras do not record video. Instead, they take still images of passing vehicles and capture license plate information. According to the sheriff’s office, those images are automatically deleted after 30 days.
The department also says safeguards are in place to prevent misuse of the system. Deputies are required to enter a case number before searching the database, allowing administrators to audit searches and ensure the technology is being used appropriately.
JULY 8, 2026 – A Flock camera in Rutherford County, North Carolina. (Photo: WLOS Staff)
Despite those protections, opinions among residents remain divided.
“I don’t like that idea at all because of the over-abundance of electronics and interference in our privacy,” Rutherfordton resident Rachel Alexander said.
Others believe the cameras are a valuable investigative tool.
“I have no really negative opinion with them. I think they’re really helpful, especially with criminals and children abductions,” said local homeowner Phyllis Irvine.
POLL: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT FLOCK CAMERAS?
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office says the cameras have also proven useful in locating vulnerable people, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or other cognitive disabilities who may have gone missing while driving.
Officials say the technology has become an important resource for investigations and emergency response across the county.
Flock cameras cost about $3,500 each. Law enforcement officials say anyone caught intentionally damaging one could face charges.
North Carolina
North Carolina Republican operative shaping the state’s early voting plans is reassigned
North Carolina state Auditor Dave Boliek has reassigned a staffer working on state election preparations following reporting illustrating how the longtime Republican operative was using his position to shape county’s early voting plans.
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