North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is currently receiving treatment for burns sustained during an incident at a campaign event in Mt. Airy. According to Mike Lonergan, communications director for Robinson's gubernatorial campaign, Robinson is in good spirits following the incident.
NewsNation was the first to report Robinson's hospitalization, which was later confirmed by a source close to his campaign. Robinson, who is the Republican nominee for governor in the state, had a busy day with multiple campaign stops around North Carolina on Friday. His final stop was at the Mayberry Truck Show and Parade in Mount Airy.
Robinson's hospitalization comes in the midst of controversy surrounding his past inflammatory comments on a pornography website's message board. This has led to prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, distancing themselves from Robinson. Trump notably did not mention Robinson during a recent campaign event in North Carolina, despite having previously endorsed him.
National Republican groups have withdrawn financial support for Robinson, and several campaign officials have resigned. The latest poll conducted by SSRS after the reporting on Robinson's past comments shows Democrat Josh Stein leading Robinson by a significant margin, with 53% to 36% among likely voters.