GOP gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson headed for western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sunday after announcing the day before that he was pausing his campaign schedule to assist in local recovery efforts.

Since then, Robinson has been posting a series of updates, videos and photographs to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. In a video released Monday afternoon, Robinson stands on a section of interstate that has been partially washed away, flanked by four North Carolina State Highway Patrol Troopers.

Motorists must stay home, he says. “Folks, I know the lack of ability to travel out west is frustrating, but hear me out. It is NOT safe. But we have a plan to address it.”

In another post, Robinson takes a swipe at the media for concentrating on the city of Asheville while many small communities are overlooked.

“What the media will probably not be reporting on are the dozens of smaller communities across western North Carolina that too find themselves without water and life-saving supplies,” he wrote. “Many of these communities have received virtually ZERO state or federal support. We are working tirelessly to ensure that these areas are not forgotten.”

On Sunday, Robinson called on Gov. Roy Cooper to increase the number of National Guardsmen deployed. “Folks, there’s no way to sugarcoat it,” he wrote later in the day. “The situation in Western North Carolina is becoming more dire by the hour. Residents are still without power and do not readily have access to food and water. I am urging Governor Roy Cooper to send in more help immediately. We need to deploy more National Guard personnel, and surge additional Search and Rescue teams.”

In the stream of tweets, Robinson is shown in high quality photographs meeting with local officials and citizens, inspecting structures and thanking frontline police and emergency workers. In another video, he warns off motorists hoping to deliver supplies, directing them instead to an area sheriff’s office.

The disaster in the mountain counties takes place against the larger backdrop of a highly charged political election in a battleground state. On X — often an opinionated battleground in its own right — Robinson supporters are finding positive comparisons in his actions and messages.

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“While other politicians are continuing to campaign, you sir are with your people,” commented one viewer. Another wrote: “Great communication. Keep it up. People need to see and hear from someone in leadership on the ground.”

On Sunday, the Lieutenant Governor’s office issued a press release on his western travels in the name of Krishana Polite, who is serving as chief of staff following the departures of several senior staffers last week after a CNN report linked Robinson to a series of lewd comments on a porn site years ago. Robinson has denied the reports.

“To our fellow North Carolinians affected by this storm: help is on the way,” Robinson said in the press release. 

All other communications from Robinson have been delivered on X.

The next campaign events listed on Robinson’s website are meet-and-greets on Friday in Person and Alamance counties. 

For questions or comments, or to pass along story ideas, please write to Clifton Dowell at [email protected] or @StateAffairsNC on X.