Embattled North Carolina GOP Gov. candidate Mark Robinson, backed by the Koch network.

• A group primarily financed by Charles Koch has been secretly supporting North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson during his gubernatorial campaign.
• This month, Americans for Prosperity, backed by the Koch brothers, has been expressing gratitude through digital ads for Robinson's policy stance.

Despite a series of controversies, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has been quietly receiving funding from a political network largely financed by billionaire industrialist Charles Koch, according to CNBC's uncovered records.

In recent months, Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-backed organization, has supported Robinson through digital advertisements, door-to-door canvassing, a website promoting his work as lieutenant governor, a podcast interview, and an April event featuring Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C.

According to AdImpact, the digital ads ran from Sept. 1 to Sept. 14. They aired just before CNN reported on racist and graphic comments Robinson allegedly posted on a porn forum over a decade ago.

At least four of Robinson's top aides from his North Carolina gubernatorial campaign resigned within days of the report's publication, according to the National Review, which reported a total of eight staffers have resigned.

On Monday, Robinson remained unwilling to withdraw from the race, despite trailing Democrat Josh Stein by an average of 9.5 percentage points, according to a Real Clear Politics average.

The Republican Governors Association announced on Monday that they have no plans to purchase additional ads for Robinson in the state.

In February, Robinson made a controversial comment suggesting that transgender women should be arrested if they used women's bathrooms. As a result, Americans for Prosperity ran supportive ads.

Some North Carolina Republican strategists were taken aback by the decision of Americans for Prosperity to support Robinson from a policy standpoint.

"According to Jonathan Bridges, a state Republican strategist who previously worked for Robinson's primary rival, former Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., it was clear months ago that the race would not be close, even before Labor Day. Given this, Bridges questioned why anyone would still take any action after Labor Day. If he were in that position, he likely wouldn't do it either."

The AFP's decision to support Robinson is a change from their previous stance, as their state office did not back him during his 2018 run for lieutenant governor, according to Chris McCoy, who was the North Carolina state director until 2022.

"McCoy stated that the discussions at AFP's state level regarding supporting Robinson were shallow and lacked depth. He added that the idea would have failed before it began, and he wouldn't have attempted it. Robinson is a divisive individual."

In six years, Robinson won the Republican gubernatorial primary in March with the help of an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

After Robinson's election as lieutenant governor, AFP has been delivering a thank you message to him, but the group clarifies that this is not an endorsement.

The spokesman stated that most of the time spent door knocking was spent thanking other state legislature members, not just Robinson.

AFP's spokesman stated to CNBC that they have not participated in the race or supported Mark Robinson, but they frequently express gratitude to public officials for taking the right stance on policy, particularly when it pertains to a crucial issue such as education freedom.

The September ads supporting Robinson highlight his efforts to increase the state's school voucher program and include a personal endorsement from Robinson himself. These voucher programs often utilize taxpayer funds intended for public education to offset private school tuition costs.

"Thanks to Lieutenant Governor Robinson and the leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly, families across the state can now choose the school that best suits their child's needs," the AFP ads' voiceover says.

AFP urges website visitors to express gratitude to Robinson for championing important North Carolina issues through a signed letter.

The AFP's support for Robinson extended beyond two digital ads and a website.

In April, state officials including Robinson and Budd were invited to Greensboro, N.C. by the group to criticize President Biden's economic policies, as stated on social media.

Months after announcing his campaign for governor, Robinson was featured on AFP's podcast "American Potential."