'It was dead silence': Report shows how Trump rejected GOP requests to ditch Mark Robinson
Fellow Republicans sought to get Donald Trump to push for embattled North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to drop out of the 2024 race, but were met with "dead silence," according to a new report.
Robinson was already in a tough place in the race for governor when a CNN report dropped alleging he referred to himself as a Black Nazi and made other inappropriate comments on a porn site years ago. He has denied the reporting.
Several Republicans, including from Robinson's own team, reportedly sought to get Trump to drop the man he endorsed.
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"North Carolina Republicans were in a panic last week as CNN prepared to drop a devastating story about their nominee for governor, Mark Robinson. Some sought help from the man who had supercharged Robinson’s candidacy: Donald Trump. A member of Robinson’s own team asked the Trump campaign for help persuading their boss to drop out, according to a Trump ally with knowledge of the exchange," the Washington Post reported Saturday. "A consultant close to state Senate President Phil Berger (R) called as well, according to the ally and another Republican with knowledge of the conversation, asking whether Trump would personally urge Robinson to exit the race. Robinson had indicated that he might listen to Trump, two other people familiar with the matter said."
According to the Washington Post report, the response from Trump allies and associates was, "And then what?" There was reportedly no one to put in Robinson's place on the ballot.
The report continues:
“'It was dead silence,' said the Trump ally, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. 'Nobody was going to be willing to do that.'"
According to the Post, Trump shrugged off further requests for him to condemn Robinson, and the embattled candidate is continuing to tie himself to the ex-president as a result of that inaction.
"Robinson continues to tie himself to the Republican presidential nominee, saying in a statement that 'President Trump and myself are barnstorming North Carolina taking the problems of our state seriously,'" according to the weekend report.