WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) Donald Trump returns to North Carolina on Saturday, stumping in the southern battleground state that both Democrats and Republicans are treating as increasingly critical to victory in November.

But Trump will be campaigning in Wilmington, along the states southern coast, without Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson , the GOP gubernatorial nominee and one of the former presidents top surrogates in the state, following a CNN report about his alleged posts on a pornography websites message board. Two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity said Friday that Robinson was not scheduled to attend the Wilmington event.