Trump Stands by Robinson Amid Scandal, Undecided Voters Leaning Towards Harris
TL/DR –
Donald Trump is not planning to withdraw his endorsement of North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, despite scandalous reports involving offensive comments Robinson allegedly made on a porn site between 2008 and 2012. There are advisers within Trump’s campaign urging him to pull the endorsement, as well as Republican members of the North Carolina congressional delegation who plan to privately urge Trump to do the same. However, Trump rarely backtracks on endorsements, believing it makes him look weak.
Explore the latest reports and analysis from the NBC News Politics team in From the Politics Desk newsletter. Today’s edition examines Donald Trump’s response to the political turmoil surrounding North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, and Kristen Welker’s analysis of recent polling changes. Subscribe here.
Trump Unlikely to Withdraw Endorsement of Mark Robinson Amid Scandal
By Matt Dixon, Katherine Doyle, Olympia Sonnier and Kristen Welker
Despite calls from allies and internal sources for Donald Trump to withdraw his endorsement of scandal-ridden North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, there are no current plans for disendorsement, according to sources close to the matter.
CNN exposed Robinson’s offensive comments on a pornography site predating his lieutenant governorship. The Trump campaign has yet to address the controversy directly involving Robinson, who received Trump’s endorsement in March.
Trump’s campaign insists on its focus on winning the White House and securing North Carolina as key to their plan, despite internal calls for disendorsement and planned private pleas from Republican North Carolina congressional delegation members.
The scandal’s political fallout could strain Trump’s popularity in North Carolina, a key swing state. However, Trump rarely makes public endorsement retractions, fearing a perception of weakness. Robinson will not attend the scheduled Trump rally this Saturday in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Democratic Response: Democrats are leveraging the scandal surrounding Robinson. The DNC has launched digital ads and billboards highlighting Trump’s praise for Robinson, and a new Harris campaign ad connects Trump to Robinson’s past anti-abortion remarks. However, neither campaign addresses the controversial remarks reported by CNN.
Heightened Scrutiny on Harris Among Undecided Voters
By Bridget Bowman, Emma Barnett, Alex Tabet and Katherine Koretski
Following our previous poll, we contacted respondents who were uncertain about voting in a potential Trump-Harris matchup.
We found that the largest group comprised nine voters still undecided but leaning towards Harris due to concerns about Trump. Four decided on Harris, one on Trump, and three leaning towards Trump. Four don’t plan to vote.
These voters, diverse in background and location, express a shared skepticism towards politics. While many are undecided about Harris, they are firm in their perception of Trump, with several determined not to vote for him.
Key Updates From the 2024 Race
- Vote watch: Georgia’s election board voted for hand-counting ballots causing potential delays. Read more →
- Ballot battles: Jill Stein’s request for ballot inclusion in Nevada rejected by the Supreme Court. Read more →
- Security boost: A bill for enhanced Secret Service protection for presidential nominees passed the House. Read more →
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