The Fox News Decision Desk projects Democratic North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein to defeat Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the gubernatorial race.
In this high-stakes election, Stein, a progressive who won his current seat with support from term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, and Stein, who won his current seat in 2018 after an impassioned speech on the Second Amendment. Mr. Robinson, who had begun a spectacular political career, contested. viral video.
Robinson's campaign was rocked weeks ago by scandal, with local news outlets reporting on Sept. 3 that Robinson routinely visited porn shops and viewed materials in private booths, according to former employees and customers. It was reported that there was a suspicion that According to the report, Robinson's alleged visits to adult shops unfolded in the 1990s and 2000s, before he entered politics.
Robinson and his campaign denied the report as “complete and utter fiction,” but later that month CNN reported that Robinson frequented a porn site called “Nude Africa,” where he communicated with associates and messages. The scandal continued to attract attention, with reports claiming that they had been exchanging messages. Users talked about peeping on women in locker rooms as teenagers, calling themselves “black Nazis” and professing to like transgender porn.
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North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (left) and Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson (Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
According to CNN, the alleged use of the chat forum took place between 2008 and 2012, well before Robinson entered the political scene in 2019 when he announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor.
Robinson vociferously denied the report, even before it was announced, and vowed to remain in the race, even as he called what was expected at the time to be “tabloid trash.”
“Rest assured, what you will see in this story is not Mark Robinson's words. You know my words, you know my character, and you know what I mean in this race and before. You know we've been completely transparent, folks, right now in this race, our opponents have shifted the focus here from the real issues and are more concerned with the dirty traps and the tabloid garbage. I'm trying really hard to focus on one thing,” he said in the X video.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has raised $5.7 million since July for his gubernatorial bid.
Lt. Governor Mark Robinson appears before former President Trump speaks at a campaign event in Asheville, North Carolina, on August 14. (Grant Baldwin/Getty Images)
Mr. Stein has served as North Carolina's attorney general since 2017, after serving as a state senator from 2009 to 2016. The progressive lawyer and politician campaigned on lowering housing costs, increasing job creation, expanding access to abortion, and improving education.
The Democratic candidate joined Vice President Harris in campaigning for the White House this election season and also received the endorsement of North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper. Stein will become the state's first Jewish governor when he is sworn in in January.
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North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks in support of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Harris on August 16 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Grant Baldwin/Getty Images)
“I am excited to support Josh Stein as the next Governor of North Carolina. He is driven by an unwavering dedication to the people of our great state, which is why he is committed to our students, public schools, and quality. Josh has a proven track record and a clear vision for the future, providing better jobs that make life more affordable for hardworking people and the middle class. I am ready to take on this task,” Cooper said in a statement regarding Stein’s candidacy.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein appears at the Reproductive Freedom Bus Tour event in Raleigh on September 10th. (Kate Medley of The Washington Post, via Getty Images)
North Carolina has a history of electing Democratic governors and Republican presidential candidates, with the last time a Democratic presidential candidate was elected in 2008 and the last time a Republican governor was elected in 2012. be.
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Robinson campaigned on reducing crime, supporting police, growing North Carolina businesses, and lowering taxes for families and businesses.
He previously worked as a furniture factory employee in North Carolina and was an Army veteran, before climbing the Republican political ladder and gaining support from the party. former president trump And the N.R.A.
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Robinson made headlines in 2018 when he gave an impassioned speech on gun control to the Greensboro City Council before he was elected to the executive branch. He spoke in response to local leaders debating whether to cancel gun shows in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that year.
“I'm a law-abiding citizen and I've never shot anyone,” Robinson said at the rally, which has been viewed 200 million times. “Every time these shootings happen, no one wants to put the blame at the feet of the shooter. You want to put the blame at my feet. You want to turn around and limit my rights. .”
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