North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark 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 Mike Lonergan, Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign communications director.
Lonergan said in a statement that Robinson “is in good spirits, appreciates the outpouring of good wishes, and is excited to return to the campaign trail as scheduled first thing tomorrow morning.”
According to a law enforcement source, Robinson’s burns were caused by an accident at an auto show, and there was no foul play involved.
Robinson, North Carolina’s Republican governor candidate, made multiple campaign visits across the state on Friday, according to a previously disclosed schedule and social media posts. His final trip was the Mayberry Truck Show and Parade in Mount Airy, where the event took place.
The campaign hasn’t offered any additional information on the event.
NewsNation was the first to announce his hospitalization, which a source close to his campaign verified to CNN on Friday night.
Robinson’s hospitalization comes amid ongoing controversy over CNN’s story on the lieutenant governor’s previous incendiary statements on a pornographic website’s message board.
Many notable Republicans moved to distance themselves from Robinson in the aftermath, including former President Donald Trump, who did not mention him during a recent campaign event in North Carolina despite earlier supporting him.
National Republican organizations have also withdrawn their support for Robinson, as several of his campaign leaders have stepped down and his senior staffer is poised to depart.
As the troubled contender continues to campaign, a new CNN poll shows Robinson losing ground in the race. According to a poll issued Friday by SSRS following CNN KFile’s findings, Democrat Josh Stein leads Robinson 53% to 36% among potential voters.
