- North Carolina’s Republican lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson, is once again the top fundraiser for his party’s gubernatorial primary.
- Fellow Republican Bill Graham, a Salisbury-based trial lawyer, raised $2.9 million, while Robinson raised $3.4 million. However, $2.8 million worth of Graham’s campaign funds were provided by Graham himself.
- Incumbent Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is term-limited and cannot legally seek re-election. He supports state Attorney General Josh Stein as his successor.
Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson remains the top fundraiser in North Carolina’s 2024 Republican gubernatorial primary, but recent rivals have been investing their own money to compete with him financially.
Robinson’s campaign said it raised nearly $3.4 million in the second half of 2023, according to a campaign finance report due late last week from the State Board of Elections. Bill Graham, the Salisbury public defender who announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in October, has given his campaign $2.8 million of the $2.9 million he has raised by Dec. 31, according to a report from his campaign. It is said that the loan was made to
Graham, who is using personal loans to run television ads across the state, said in October that he would invest “at least $5 million of his own money” into the campaign. Graham, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2008, said in an interview with The Associated Press in January that he planned to spend that amount in the March 5 primary.
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On the Democratic side, Attorney General Josh Stein’s gubernatorial race has a significant financial advantage over his four other main rivals, including former state Supreme Court Associate Justice Mike Morgan, who announced his candidacy in September. had sex. Current Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is term-limited and cannot run again this year, so he is supporting Stein as his successor.
North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson arrives at a rally announcing his candidacy for governor at Ace Speedway on Saturday, April 22, 2023 in Elon, North Carolina. (Robert Willett/News & Observer, via AP)
Mr. Stein’s campaign raised $5.7 million in the final six months of 2023 and has nearly $11.5 million in cash since January. The large number is consistent with what Josh Stein’s North Carolina Board of Elections announced a few weeks ago in a report to the state election board. His campaign has raised $16.9 million since the beginning of 2021.
According to Morgan’s campaign report, he raised $119,300 in the second half of 2023 and had $32,100 in cash as of January.
Robinson, a candidate who is popular within the Republican base and aligned with former President Donald Trump, said in a news release that his campaign has raised $9.9 million since the beginning of 2021 and has $4.3 million on hand. He emphasized that he had cash close to US dollars. Mr. Graham’s campaign finance report shows he had $161,600 in cash since the new year. Robinson also reported more than 31,000 donations from July to December.
State Treasurer Dale Falwell, who is also seeking the Republican nomination, raised $111,900 in the second half of 2023, the report said. He has had about $1.3 million in cash since January, mostly from a $1 million loan he made to his campaign last June.
Other Democratic gubernatorial candidates Gary Fox, Marcus Williams and Clell Booker reported minimal or no activity during the most recent reporting period.
Financial election reports were scheduled to be filed with the State Board of Elections on Friday, but several gubernatorial candidate filings were not posted online by the State Board of Elections until this week.
Robinson’s and Stein’s campaigns are primarily focused on each other, as well as the possibility of a general election if they both win the primary. But Graham and Falwell have criticized Robinson, questioning her ability to win in their November matchup given her harsh comments and social media posts aimed at LGBTQ+ people and the role of women.
Graham, who counts Sen. Thom Tillis (R.N.C.) among his supporters, cited Robinson’s past posts discussing Jews and the Holocaust and used the TV ad as evidence that he is unfit for the governorship. flowed. Robinson’s campaign has objected, saying his statements have been distorted and that he is a strong supporter of Israel.
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Mr. Robinson, in turn, attacked Mr. Graham in a speech about Mr. Graham’s lawsuit involving his hog farm operations in eastern North Carolina. Mr. Graham rejected Mr. Robinson’s accusation that local farmers were being punished for the lawsuit.
