SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A candidate for North Carolina Governor, embroiled in controversy, is scheduled to speak at an event in South Dakota, according to a website post by Dakota First Action, a political organization.
Republican Mark Robinson declared Thursday he planned to stay in the North Carolina governor’s race after CNN linked him to comments he made on a porn site about 10 years ago. CNN reported that roughly 10 years ago he said he was a “black Nazi” on a porn site and posted comments that he enjoyed transgender pornography and called himself a “perv.”
Robinson has publicly denied the comments described by CNN.
Robinson, the state’s Lt. Governor, has faced prior scrutiny and criticism over comments he’s made about the LGBTQ+ community, women, Jews and others.
Robinson is scheduled to speak at the 2024 Victory Gala on Oct. 1 in Sioux Falls, according to Dakota First Action.
Dakota First Action’s mission as written on its website is to: “support and elect bold conservative Republicans at every level of South Dakota government, and to champion and enact true conservative policies that put America and South Dakota FIRST.”
A flyer for the event with a photo of Robinson says the 2024 Victory Gala will be “the largest gathering of South Dakota Conservatives.”
The organization is charging $20,000 for a Chairman’s Sponsorship of the Oct. 1 event. The next level is a $5,000 sponsorship down to $1,250 level sponsorship. Ticket levels list VIP admission of $500 and general admission of $250. The event was scheduled for The District, according to a Dakota First Action social media post.
The Dakota First Action website also lists endorsed candidates for South Dakota races and Republican Donald Trump for president.
According to the latest South Dakota campaign finance reports, Dakota First Action raised more than $100,000 and has an ending balance of more than $59,000. The largest amount of money into the statewide political action committee was a $100,000 loan from Toby Doeden, of Aberdeen.