Robinson has raised $2.2M this year for North Carolina governor's race, but still trails Stein

Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's campaign has raised a substantial amount so far this year in his bid for governor in 2024. But he's behind Democratic candidate and current Attorney General Josh Stein in the early search for electoral dollars.

Campaign finance reports for the first six months of the year are due July 28 to state elections officials. Announced candidates this week provided previews of their fundraising.

A Robinson campaign email said that it would report raising $2.2 million during the first half of the year and holding $3.2 million in cash on hand as of June 30.

Stein's campaign, which kicked off formally in January, said that it would report raising almost $6 million for the same period holding more than $8.2 million in cash.

Robinson, who held his kickoff rally for governor in April, already signaled back in late 2021 that he would run. Gubernatorial primaries happen in less than eight months, and so far Stein faces no high-profile party rival.

Robinson already has GOP primary competitors in State Treasurer Dale Folwell and former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker.

The "Walker 4 NC" campaign raised $550,000 through June 30, a spokesperson said. Walker created the campaign committee in mid-May, when he announced his bid. At that candidate kickoff, Walker said his committee would aim to raise $500,000 by the end of June.

Folwell, who announced his gubernatorial bid in March, didn't immediately provide a 2023 first-half fundraising number Friday but said he expected his campaign would report having close to $1.2 million in cash on hand.

Stein's campaign said its haul in the first six months was the most ever by any gubernatorial candidate in the state at this point in the election cycle. And Robinson's campaign said his total was the most raised by any other Republican candidate for governor for a similar reporting period.