Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina, Mark Robinson, promises to continue running in spite of a report from the media
In a video posted on X, Robinson said, “We are staying in this race. We are in it to win it,” and expressed confidence that with supporters’ help, his campaign would succeed.
North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson announced on Thursday that he will continue his campaign despite a CNN report alleging he posted racially and sexually charged comments on an online message board.
Robinson, who is currently the lieutenant governor and won the GOP gubernatorial primary decisively in March, rejected the report as “salacious tabloid lies” and vowed to remain in the race.
In a video posted on X, Robinson said, “We are staying in this race. We are in it to win it,” and expressed confidence that with supporters’ help, his campaign would succeed. He mentioned a story from CNN but did not provide specifics, asserting that the comments reported are not reflective of his character.
CNN’s report includes allegations that Robinson made derogatory remarks about civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and referred to himself as a “black NAZI” on a pornography website’s message board over a decade ago.
The report also claims Robinson expressed arousal from memories of “peeping” at women in gym showers and an appreciation for transgender pornography.
CNN stated that details from the posts matched Robinson’s known personal information, including age, marriage length, and frequent phrases from his public profiles.
Robinson’s past inflammatory remarks, including a 2021 speech where he used the term “filth” to describe LGBTQ+ individuals and a 2019 Facebook post on abortion, have been criticized by his opponent, Democratic nominee Josh Stein.
Stein has labeled Robinson as too extreme to lead North Carolina, and recent polls show Stein with a significant lead over Robinson.
North Carolina state law allows a gubernatorial nominee to withdraw up until the day before absentee ballots are distributed to military and overseas voters, which begins Friday. This sets the withdrawal deadline for late Thursday night.
Robinson has received support from former President Donald Trump, who has praised him as a prominent figure in the GOP. Trump’s campaign has not yet responded to inquiries about the CNN report or Robinson’s campaign activities.
Robinson, 56, became lieutenant governor in 2020 on his first attempt at public office, gaining attention for his viral speech on gun rights and police support. He has a background of childhood poverty, job losses he attributes to NAFTA, and personal bankruptcy.
