NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson Hospitalized with Burns During Campaign Event

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson was hospitalized Friday following an incident at a campaign event in Mount Airy. The Republican nominee for governor was treated for second-degree burns, according to a campaign spokesperson who did not elaborate. The campaign event was taking place at the Mayberry Truck Show in Mount Airy. The spokesperson told media outlets that Robinson was “in good spirits” and planned on returning to the campaign trail Saturday.

Robinson's campaign has been mired in scandal since a CNN report this month linked the Republican to dozens of racist, lewd and inflammatory comments made on a porn side more than a decade ago. After the news broke, all but three of Robinson's campaign staffers quit, as did top aides working for his state office. Robinson has denied the story and hired a law firm to investigate what he called the “false smears.” He has vowed to stay in the race against his Democratic opponent, Josh Stein.

Robinson was making an appearance at the Mayberry Truck Show in Mount Airy when he was injured, campaign spokesperson Mike Lonergan said in a statement. Robinson was treated at Northern Regional Hospital in Mount Airy for second-degree burns, he added. “He is in good spirits, appreciates the outpouring of well wishes, and is excited to return to the campaign trail as scheduled first thing” Saturday morning, Lonergan said.

Lonergan didn't immediately respond to texts seeking details on how and where the burns occurred. Robinson had made campaign stops starting Friday morning with Moore County Republicans. He has four stops scheduled for Saturday. Robinson, the lieutenant governor since 2021, is running against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein, the current attorney general. Current Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, was barred by term limits from running this fall.

Many Republicans have distanced themselves recently from Robinson following a Sept. 19 CNN report alleging he posted strongly worded racial and sexual comments on an online message board. A dozen staff members on his campaign or his Lieutenant Governor's Office have quit in the report's fallout. Robinson, who has faced criticism for other inflammatory comments, has denied writing the messages over a decade ago and has hired a law firm to investigate.

Mount Airy, located about 100 miles north of Charlotte near the Virginia border, is where the late television star Andy Griffith grew up. The community served as the inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry in “The Andy Griffith Show” that aired during the 1960s. City leaders have embraced that history with homages and festivals associated with the show.

The accident comes as Robinson continues to defend himself against a bombshell CNN report that exposed past comments on a porn website’s message board that was linked to his email account. In the comments Robinson reportedly called himself a “Black Nazi” and said he wished slavery still existed in the U.S. He denies making he posts and has refused to drop out of the race for governor.

Many Republicans, including Donald Trump, have sought to distance themselves from Robinson. Trump did not mention Robinson during a recent campaign stop in North Carolina despite having previously endorsed him. Robinson has also seen many of his staff resign after the CNN report broke. Robinson, the lieutenant governor since 2021, is running against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein, the current attorney general. Current Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, was barred by term limits from running this fall.

Robinson was treated for second-degree burns at Northern Regional Hospital “following an incident at a campaign event” in Mount Airy on Friday night, according to his spokesman Mike Lonergan. CNN reported that Robinson’s burns occurred during an accident at the Mayberry Truck Show and Parade and that no foul play was involved.

Lonergan said Robinson was “in good spirits” after being transported to Northern Regional Hospital on Friday and was “excited to return to the campaign trail” on Saturday. The accident comes as Robinson continues to defend himself against a bombshell CNN report that exposed past comments on a porn website’s message board that was linked to his email account. In the comments Robinson reportedly called himself a “Black Nazi” and said he wished slavery still existed in the U.S.

Robinson was expected to return to the campaign trail on Saturday. Robinson was making an appearance at the Mayberry truck show in Mount Airy when he was injured, campaign spokesperson Mike Lonergan said in a statement. Robinson was treated at Northern regional hospital in Mount Airy for second-degree burns, he added. “He is in good spirits, appreciates the outpouring of well wishes, and is excited to return to the campaign trail as scheduled first thing” on Saturday morning, Lonergan said.

Lonergan didn’t immediately respond to texts seeking details on how and where the burns occurred. Robinson had made campaign stops starting on Friday morning with Moore county Republicans. He has four appearances scheduled for Saturday. Robinson, the lieutenant governor since 2021, is running against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein, the current attorney general. The current governor, Roy Cooper, a Democrat, was barred by term limits from running this fall.

Many Republicans have distanced themselves recently from Robinson following a 19 September CNN report alleging he posted strongly worded racial and sexual comments on an online message board. A dozen staff members on his campaign or in the lieutenant governor’s office have quit in the fallout. Robinson, who has faced criticism for other inflammatory comments, has denied writing the messages more than a decade ago and has hired a law firm to investigate.

Mount Airy, located about 100 miles (161km) north of Charlotte near the Virginia border, is where the late television star Andy Griffith grew up. The community served as the inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry in The Andy Griffith Show, which aired during the 1960s. City leaders have embraced that history with homages and festivals associated with the show.