North Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial candidate, Mark Robinson, vowed to remain in the race after CNN reported controversial comments he allegedly made on a pornography site, including calling himself a “black NAZI” and suggesting the return of slavery. Robinson, who is also the state’s lieutenant governor, denied the claims and labeled the report as “salacious tabloid lies.”
Robinson’s remarks, which he insists are fabricated, are part of a larger context as he faces off against Democratic candidate Josh Stein in the November 5 election. The race could influence voter turnout in a critical battleground state for the upcoming presidential election.
Endorsed by Trump, Robinson issued a video denial prior to CNN’s report, asserting that the posted comments do not reflect his views. He stated, “We are staying in this race,” emphasizing his determination.
The CNN report cited posts from 2010 where Robinson allegedly expressed support for slavery, along with other explicit content from 2008 to 2012 that contradicts his public stances on various issues. The authenticity of these posts has not been independently verified.
The North Carolina Republican Party defended Robinson, claiming that the accusations are part of a smear campaign by Democrats. However, some Republicans, including U.S. Representative Richard Hudson, expressed concern over the allegations.
In response, Stein’s campaign highlighted Robinson’s past controversial statements in attack ads and condemned his candidacy, asserting that he is “completely unfit to be governor.” The political landscape in North Carolina remains tense as the election approaches.
After CNN reported on Mark Robinson’s controversial comments, the Harris campaign shared videos of Trump praising Robinson. The Trump campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment, although Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in North Carolina this Saturday.
According to North Carolina law, Robinson has until Thursday at 11:59 PM to withdraw from the gubernatorial race, just before absentee ballots are sent to military and overseas voters. If he decides to step down, the state Republican Party’s executive committee would choose a replacement.
Printed absentee ballots featuring Robinson’s name have already been distributed across all 100 counties, and some counties have begun receiving ballots for early voting and Election Day, as noted by state elections board spokesperson Patrick Gannon.
Should Robinson withdraw and it be deemed impractical to reprint the ballots, any votes cast for him would automatically be credited to the replacement candidate.
