Sen. Lindsey Graham told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” program Sunday that North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson “has an obligation to defend himself” following reports last week that Robinson made lewd posts on a pornographic website a decade ago.
“The allegations are not outrageous,” said Graham, a Republican from South Carolina. According to Trend, this was reported by CNN on Thursday Robinson said he made posts on the porn site calling himself a “black Nazi”, arguing for the restoration of slavery and depicting sexual acts. There is Robinson he denied the report called him “tabloid trash” and vowed to stay in the race.
“If they’re true, he’s unfit for office,” Graham said. “If they’re not true, he has the best libel lawsuit in the history of the country.”
“If I were him, I would get the best lawyer I could find. I would sue CNN the hell out of it,” Graham added, saying Robinson “has an obligation to defend himself” because “this is stopping his campaign.”
A CNN spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat running against Robinson, criticized former President Donald Trump and the lieutenant governor, saying “Robinson exists because Donald Trump raised him.”
“Mark Robinson cannot exist without the support of Donald Trump,” Stein said, adding that candidates up and down the ballot must take responsibility for supporting his campaign.
Graham added on Sunday’s “Meet the Press” that while the story is controversial, having him and Robinson on the same ballot won’t affect Trump’s chances of carrying North Carolina in the Electoral College.
Graham pointed to the 2016 and 2020 elections, where Trump carried the Tar Heel state both times, but Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper also won their races.
“When Trump wins [GOP] The gubernatorial candidate lost in 2016 and 2020,” Graham said.
The senator also spoke about this his visit Earlier this week, he traveled to Nebraska, where he met with Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and about two dozen Republican members of Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature about overhauling state law that would allow him to capture all Electoral College votes won in the state this year.
Currently, Nebraska divides three Electoral College votes per congressional district, with a Republican candidate typically receiving two votes and a Democratic candidate receiving one vote. Maine is the only other state in the nation to participate in the Electoral College this way.
“To my friends in Nebraska,” Graham said Sunday, “one electoral vote could be the difference between [Vice President Kamala] “Whether Harris is president or not, he is a disaster for Nebraska and the world.”
He added, “Nebraska’s entire federal delegation — members of the House of Representatives and two senators — wants this change.”
Supporters of the amendment said that there is still not enough support for the adoption of the bill. Graham estimated there was a “50-50” chance the law would be changed by the day of the vote.
Nebraska GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts told NBC News on Thursday that 48 states have a winner-take-all system and Nebraska should.
“We are disenfranchising our rural voters by not having it,” he said.
Ricketts also told NBC News that Graham is a “great spokesperson” for the movement to change Nebraska’s Electoral College votes, adding, “He knows very well why we need to make sure that all of our voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots. voices are heard and what other states are doing”.
Julie Tsirkin, Kate Santaliz, Garrett Haake, Olympia Sonnier, Frank Thorpe W and Summer concept contributed.