![Chris Seward FILE - North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, speaks at a rally Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, in Roxboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/dd957b2509904a159e6f32f117a3ec65/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, speaks at a rally Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, in Roxboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)
![Chris Carlson FILE - North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally March 2, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/4f356b3b2e2349a5ac258267e1d029a0/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally March 2, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
![Chuck Burton FILE -Republican Governor candidate North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks at an election night event in Greensboro, N.C., March 5, 2024. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/820b497f29c44dc8822d1de040dc8d1f/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE -Republican Governor candidate North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks at an election night event in Greensboro, N.C., March 5, 2024. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
![Chris Seward FILE - Campaign merchandise is for sale as North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, holds a rally Jan. 26, 2024, in Roxboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/648aec3c3eb043b480794316e739db4d/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Campaign merchandise is for sale as North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican candidate for North Carolina governor, holds a rally Jan. 26, 2024, in Roxboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)
![Chris Carlson FILE - North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally March 2, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/b38381665d09452e9a2f3cde08ab9489/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally March 2, 2024, in Greensboro, N.C. In his bid to become North Carolina's first Black governor, Robinson assails government safety-net spending as a "plantation of welfare and victimhood" that he says has mired generations of Black people in "dependency" and poverty. But the firebrand lieutenant governor's political rise wouldn't have been possible without it. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)