Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina, vowed to stay in the race Thursday after it was revealed that he made dozens of lewd and inflammatory comments on a pornography website message board more than 10 years ago.
report, Posted by CNNRobinson described himself as a “black Nazi” on the pornographic website Nude Africa, said he supported the abolition of slavery, and told sexually suggestive stories, including a memory of “waiting” on women during a gym shower. he was 14 years old. The posts were made between 2008 and 2012 under the username “minisoldr,” CNN reported, before Robinson, who was elected lieutenant governor in 2020, entered politics.
a video sent to X In publishing the story, Robinson denied the report, calling it “tabloid trash.”
“Let me assure you: what you will see in this story are not the words of Mark Robinson. You know my words, you know my character, and you know I’ve been completely transparent in this race and before,” Robinson said in the video.
“We’re in this race, we’re in it to win, and we know we’ll do it with your help,” he said.
The report is the latest blow to Republicans in a critical battleground state race where former President Donald Trump-backed Robinson is running against Democratic candidate Josh Stein. There is also North Carolina increased its importance In the presidential race after Vice President Kamala Harris rose to the top of the Democratic ticket.
Robinson spokesman Michael Lonergan said in an email after the report was published that “what Democrats say about Mark Robinson is either patently false or taken out of context.”
“The people of North Carolina have had enough of the lies of career politicians like Josh Stein, and that’s why they’re going to elect Mark Robinson governor on November 5,” he said.
Trump spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said in a statement that the former president is “focused on winning the White House and saving this country.”
“North Carolina is an important part of this plan. We are confident that as voters compare Trump’s record of a strong economy, low inflation, secure borders and safe streets to the failures of Biden-Harris, President Trump will once again win the Tarheel State,” Leavitt said. Robinson was not named in the statement.
Another Trump adviser denied reports campaign forced Robinson to drop out of the race.
“It’s completely inaccurate,” senior Trump adviser Brian Hughes said when asked about the reports. “Fake news. It didn’t happen. There was no pressure or anything on Trump and the Trump campaign. Inaccurate.”
Some Republican lawmakers expressed concern over Robinson’s comments.
Sen. Ted Budd, RN.C., called Robinson’s comments in the CNN report “abhorrent,” but added, “Mark Robinson says they are not from him.”
“He has to prove that to the voters,” Budd said.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a Trump ally, told reporters Thursday at the Capitol that she hadn’t read the whole story about Robinson, but “if it all turns out to be true, that would certainly be something.” that I absolutely could not support.”
Rep. Richard Hudson, RN.C., said the allegations were “very troubling,” but did not say whether Robinson would quit.
“I hope the lieutenant governor can convince the people of North Carolina that the allegations are not true,” Hudson said.
Asked if he felt Robinson should drop out of the race, Hudson said, “He should have an opportunity to explain to the people of North Carolina how untrue these allegations are.”
But the North Carolina Republican Party stood by Robinson in a statement Thursday night.
“Mark Robinson has vehemently denied the allegations made by CNN, but that won’t stop the Left from trying to demonize him with personal attacks,” the statement read. “The left needs this election to be a personality contest, not a policy contest, because if voters focus on politics, Republicans win on Election Day.”
Meanwhile, Democrats were quick to criticize Robinson as unfit to serve as governor. D.N.C. Representative Jeff Jackson told reporters that “what I just read made me sick to my stomach.”
“If he drops out, it helps the state of North Carolina,” added Jackson, who is running for the state’s attorney general.
In a statement, Democratic Governors Association spokeswoman Izzy Levy called the CNN report “the latest evidence that Mark Robinson is inflexible, dangerous and completely unfit to be governor.”
He added: “Now that many Republicans are warning against the damage Robinson will do as governor, it’s clear the stakes have never been higher and we must keep our foot on the gas to defeat him in November.”
A spokesman for the Republican Governors Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Harris campaign tried to connect Trump with Robinson, who spoke at the Republican National Convention this summer and benefited from the former president’s endorsement.
Harris spokeswoman Sarafina Chitika said, “Donald Trump and Mark Robinson have been through this together. Trump has elevated and supported this man at every opportunity.” X said. There’s no escaping it for @realDonaldTrump.”
If Robinson had left the race, he had until 11:59 p.m. ET to report his decision in writing to the state board of elections. according to state election lawsany major party candidate wishing to drop out must do so “prior to the first day that military and overseas ballots are mailed to voters.”
Military and overseas ballots are scheduled to be mailed out Friday from the North Carolina Board of Elections.
Under state law, if Robinson were to end his campaign, the North Carolina GOP state executive committee would appoint his replacement. But it is unlikely that the state will have enough time to print new ballots in someone else’s name. In that case state law says“… the vote cast for the duly substituted candidate shall be counted for the substitute candidate.”
CNN reported on dozens of lewd comments it said came from Robinson. Among them was a story in which, as a teenager, the writer admitted to “eyeballing” women in the shower at a public gym.
According to CNN, Robinson, who defends anti-trans policies and makes comments criticizing trans people, said that he also likes transgender pornography in his posts to Naked Africa.
“I like watching tranny in girl porn! It’s f—ing hot! He takes the man out while letting the man in!” According to CNN, Robinson wrote. “And yes, I’m ‘perverted’ too!”
It was the last in a series of reports controversial statements that brought negative attention to Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign over the years.
Many of these comments were about abortion. During a 2019 Facebook Live broadcast, he said the procedure was “not to save the lives of mothers. … It’s about killing a child because you weren’t responsible enough to lower your skirt.”
In 2018, Robinson called abortions “murder” and “genocide” on his personal Facebook page.
Stein’s campaign seized on the comments, run campaign ads Highlighting Robinson’s rhetoric on abortion, he said he would move to further restrict the procedure if elected.
Robinson He said at the event of the campaign held in February if elected governor, he would eventually seek to repeal abortion rights in the state.
In addition, NBC News obtained the audio recording This month, Robinson said he wants to take abortion restrictions down to “zero” weeks.
North Carolina currently has a 12-week abortion ban.
In February, suggested While campaigning for transgender women to be jailed if they use women’s toilets, he added that people who are “confused” about their gender should “find a corner outside to go” to the bathroom. There is also Robinson described Considers the LGBTQ community as “filth”.
Robinson’s opponents also called his public school teachers “bad people.” in 2022 he said he had assault rifles, so he would prepared if “government is too big for its britches.”
Stein leads Robinson in all public polls. A Survey at Quinnipiac University In this month’s race, Stein led 51% to 41% — outside the poll’s margin of error.
Trump praised Robinson on the campaign trail, including last month at a rally in Asheboro, North Carolina.
“Good luck. Mark must win. He must win. You have to win. He is a good person,” Trump added.
In March, in his speech at the National Rifle Association conference, Trump called Robinson “Dr. Martin Luther King on steroids.
“How good you are. You are incredible as a speaker,” Trump said of Robinson. “And he’s up and doing fantastically well in North Carolina. And I think he’s going to be the next governor of North Carolina.”