Harris makes scandal-plagued Republican the star of her campaign to win North Carolina

AP National Political Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — There’s an unlikely star in Kamala Harris’ fight to make history in North Carolina: Mark Robinson, the state’s scandal-plagued candidate for governor. As of this week, Robinson is featured in Harris volunteers’ conversations with voters on the phone and at the doorways. Democrats wave signs bearing his name at their press conferences. Billboard trucks circulate in key cities warning that he is “unhinged.” And Harris is running a statewide advertising campaign highlighting Robinson’s relationship with Donald Trump. No Democrat has carried this Southern state since former President Barack Obama in 2008. But polls now suggest the 2024 contest is razor-thin. Democrats are betting that the weight of Robinson’s baggage can tip the scales in Harris’ favor.