WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) 鈥� returned to North Carolina on Saturday, stumping in the southern battleground state with direct appeals to women, claiming he would be a better champion for them than Vice President , who is vying to become the first female president.
Trump campaigned in Wilmington, along the state's southern coast, without Lt. Gov. , the GOP gubernatorial nominee and one of the former president's top surrogates in the state, following a about his alleged posts on a pornography website鈥檚 message board. He did not mention Robinson during a speech that lasted just over an hour.
Robinson has denied writing the posts, which include lewd and racist comments, saying Thursday that he wouldn鈥檛 be forced out of the race by 鈥渟alacious tabloid lies.鈥� Trump's campaign has appeared to distance itself from Robinson in the wake of the CNN reporting, which the AP has not independently verified, saying in a statement that Trump 鈥渋s focused on winning the White House and saving this country" and calling North Carolina 鈥渁 vital part of that plan," without mentioning Robinson.
Democrats have seized on the opportunity to highlight Trump鈥檚 ties to Robinson, with billboards showing the two together, as well as a new ad from Harris' campaign highlighting the Republican candidates鈥� ties as well as Robinson鈥檚 support for a statewide abortion ban without exceptions. According to Harris鈥� campaign, it鈥檚 their first ad effort related to tying Trump to a down-ballot race.
Both abortion rights and Robinson are electoral liabilities for Trump in a state he previously won twice. Already before CNN's report, Robinson was trailing in several recent polls to Democratic nominee , the state鈥檚 attorney general. Polls show Trump and Harris locked in a close race here and nationally.
Trump downplays abortion as a campaign issue
In his first outdoor rally since the to assassinate him, Trump argued women would be safer and more prosperous with him as president and would 鈥渘o longer be thinking about abortion."
鈥淚 will protect women at a level never seen before. They will finally be healthy, hopeful, safe and secure,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淭heir lives will be happy, beautiful, and their lives will be great again. So women, we love you. We鈥檙e going to take care of you.鈥�
The former president said women won't have to think about abortion because decisions about regulating it are now left to the states. Many Republican-led states have taken steps to restrict or eliminate abortion access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Trump nominated three of the six justices who voted to overturn Roe.
North Carolina after 12 weeks last year, with Republicans in the state legislature overriding Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto.
Voters overwhelmingly say they trust Harris to do a better job handling abortion policy, with 55% while 27% favored Trump in a new poll by .
Harris and Democrats running down ballot have highlighted stories of women who faced severe medical complications or death because they from doctors worried about the impact of abortion laws. Harris on Friday as a threat to women鈥檚 freedoms and their lives, warning in a speech in Georgia that Republicans would continue to target access to abortion if he returns to the White House.
鈥淭rump is scared out of his mind that women will vote like our freedoms and our lives are on the line this November 鈥� and he should be, because that鈥檚 exactly what we will do,鈥� Harris campaign Sarafina Chitika said in a statement after Trump's rally.
Trump also showed a gentler side, inviting two of his young grandchildren on stage. The former president lifted Carolina to the microphone, where she said 鈥淢ake America great again鈥� to cheers, followed by her older brother, Luke Trump, who said, 鈥淰ote for Grandpa.鈥� They鈥檙e the children of Eric Trump, the former president鈥檚 second son, and his wife, Lara Trump, a North Carolina native who is now serving as co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
Bulletproof glass surrounded Trump as he spoke, a for outdoor venues the Secret Service implemented after a bullet during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump supporters dismiss the new claims against Robinson
A Republican has carried North Carolina in every general election since 1976 save one, when Barack Obama won the state in 2008. Trump won there in both his previous campaigns but by over Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, the closest margin of any state that Trump won. That鈥檚 part of why Democrats see the state as winnable this fall.
With neither Senate seat up for grabs, the gubernatorial contest has been North Carolina鈥檚 marquee down-ballot race this year. Robinson has become a natural top surrogate for Trump in the state and a frequent presence at campaign events there, appearing with the nominee as recently as an event last month in Asheboro. Trump has long praised Robinson, who is Black, referring to him as 鈥淢artin Luther King on steroids."
Endorsing Robinson ahead of the GOP gubernatorial primary, Trump continued: 鈥淚 think you鈥檙e better than Martin Luther King. I think you are Martin Luther King times two.鈥�
Robinson has a long history of making inflammatory comments, including suggesting women who sought abortion 鈥渨eren鈥檛 responsible enough to keep your skirt down" and comparing abortion to slavery.
Charlie Kimball, a 46-year-old former construction worker from Burgaw, who said he is currently on disability, dismissed the new allegations against Robinson as 鈥渇ake news."
鈥淭hat鈥檚 his personal life. Who cares?鈥� Kimball said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all hearsay 鈥� It鈥檚 not true. It鈥檚 all speculation. Where鈥檚 the proof?"
While more visits have been made by presidential contenders to the Rust Belt battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, both Harris and Trump have to North Carolina, highlighting the state鈥檚 importance. Following Biden鈥檚 departure from the race in July, Trump held there, turning his full focus toward Harris.
Wilmington is home to New Hanover County, which Biden won in 2020. But his margin over Trump in the county was among his slimmest in the state.
Julia Novotny, 55, of Wilmington, said she's come around to supporting Trump after initial reservations because of allegations that he's been to women, which he denies.
鈥淗e鈥檚 classy, he鈥檚 a gentleman, he looks good in a suit and he has strong values,鈥� Novotny said. 鈥淓verybody makes mistakes, and whether he did or didn鈥檛, I don鈥檛 know, but you know what? Leave him alone. He鈥檚 a good man. He wants to change this country. Our country is in the dirt, and the only man who pulls us out is Donald Trump.鈥�
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at . Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report.
Meg Kinnard And Erik Verduzco, The Associated Press
