Former President Donald Trump endorsed North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the state’s gubernatorial race, comparing the Black Republican candidate to “Martin Luther King on steroids,” despite Robinson’s history of controversial statements concerning gender, race and sexuality.
Robinson, who won the gubernatorial primary election on Tuesday, March 5, is now slated to face North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.
“This is Martin Luther King on steroids,” Trump said Saturday during a rally speech at a pre-Super Tuesday event in Greensboro, North Carolina. “I told that to Mark. I said, I think you’re better than Martin Luther King. I think you are Martin Luther King times two,” Trump told the crowd ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Trump reiterated his comparison of Robinson to the late civil rights leader, which he initially mentioned during a gathering at his Mar-a-Lago resort back in December, according to video from the event.
“First, it was the voice,” Trump said of Robinson at the time. “And then, I said, ‘You know what, I swear, I think you’re better than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’”
Robinson, who is also a pastor, endorsed Trump for re-election in June at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference in Washington, D.C.
The GOP front-runner to become the next governor of North Carolina, Robinson previously faced criticism for a series of hurtful comments about women, Muslims, Jews, homosexuality, and sexual abuse victims. He also fought against teaching critical race theory in state schools and said children should be taught about Adolf Hitler and other dictators.
Robinson has also mocked school shooting survivors who advocate for gun control.
Critics cite his use of anti-Semitic stereotypes and his promotion of Holocaust denialism, but late last year, Robinson sought to distance himself from the self-inflicted controversies.
“There have been some Facebook posts that were poorly worded on…
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