It’s rare for North Carolina political figures to publish an autobiography while running for office, but Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has made his 2022 book a central part of his campaign for governor.
He’s done book signings for “We Are The Majority” during campaign fundraisers, and invitations to some of his fundraising events have included a free copy of the book as part of the ticket package. He’s also done direct mail fundraising campaigns where potential donors can receive the book if they contribute $75 or more.
“My friend, 'We Are The Majority' is a book that needs to be read by every Republican, Independent and conservative Democrat voter who’s considering me for Governor,” Robinson wrote in the fundraising letter. “Frankly, nothing would make me happier than to see 10,000 copies end up in the hands of grassroots leaders, fellow elected officials, moms, dads, seniors — folks just like you!”
So, how much is Robinson’s campaign spending to purchase copies of the book for donors?
The campaign hasn’t disclosed that figure anywhere in his campaign finance reports or ethics disclosure forms.
Asked about the omission, campaign spokesman Mike Lonergan said in an email that “these promotions were handled directly by the vendors. The campaign reported the expenses as required.”
Lonergan did not answer a follow-up question from WUNC about which vendor listed in the campaign finance reports was responsible for the book purchases.
Some of Robinson’s campaign spending appears to be lumped into categories labeled “consultant.” His campaign lists a total of $450,000 spent this cycle on “consultant — political” through the firm Conservative Connections, led by his campaign manager Conrad Pogorzelski.
And reports list $1.12 million spent on “consultant — fundraising” through the firm The Whillier Group, led by a former staffer for Lt. Gov. Dan Forest.
But Robinson’s campaign lists other purchases of gifts for donors and supporters separately. He’s spent nearly $45,000 on campaign “merch” through a Florida-based company called The MAGA Mall USA Corp., the report shows.
The company’s website offers red “Mark Robinson For Governor” hats alongside former President Donald Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” hats, as well as anti-Joe Biden apparel with messages like “Joe and the Ho Gotta Go.”
Robinson doesn’t list proceeds from the book on ethics disclosure forms filed with the State Ethics Commission. The form requires candidates and elected officials to list any source of income that exceeds $5,000. Robinson lists only his lieutenant governor salary and his wife’s nonprofit salary for 2023.
Asked about the ethics disclosure, Robinson’s campaign said, “revenue from book sales did not meet the threshold for disclosure.”
How the book sales compare to others
Earning less than $5,000 in the first full year of a book’s publication would mean Robinson sold significantly less than other politicians who have written books.
Business Insider reported that in 2020, more than 20 members of Congress earned more than $5,000 from book royalties and advances, with some making more than $300,000.
While sales figures for Robinson’s book aren’t publicly available, it’s currently ranked #82,986 in sales on Amazon and #437 in political leader biographies. About a month after it was published in 2022, it ranked #3,052 among books on Amazon and was the 22nd most popular title among biographies of political leaders.
Robinson’s autobiography is doing substantially better on Amazon than a more recently released title from his publisher, Republic Book Publishers, which specializes in biographies by conservative leaders.
Virginia U.S. Senate candidate Hung Cao’s book is currently ranked #212,494 on Amazon and #1,084 among political leader biographies. Both Robinson and Cao were featured speakers this week at the Republican National Convention.
Campaign finance probe still unfinished
Bob Hall, a longtime campaign watchdog who has filed complaints about Robinson’s past campaign finance reports, said the book purchases need to be disclosed.
“That income should be reported somewhere, either on his ethics statement as income, or on his campaign finance report is the campaign's income,” Hall said.
Campaign finance reports vary significantly on how much they list individual expenses versus a lump sum to a consultant. House Rules Chairman Destin Hall’s latest report includes an array of expenses like lodging, mileage and office supplies in a single payment to his campaign consultant.
By contrast, Republican lieutenant governor candidate Hal Weatherman’s report lists separate expenses for purchases like yard signs, banners and flag patches to place on campaign t-shirts.
The State Board of Elections is still reviewing a complaint filed by Hall three years ago. The complaint says Robinson’s 2020 finance report included unexplained cash withdrawals, spending on inappropriate expenses like medical bills and clothing, and donations that exceeded the maximum limit.
“They are overwhelmed and underfinanced, so it's hard to say” when the investigation might conclude, Hall said. “I asked Mark Robinson directly to just go ahead and irrespective of the investigation, go ahead and answer the questions yourself. You can just speak to the public.”
