The North Carolina Republican Party issued a statement Thursday night defending gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson after shocking reports were published about him.
“Mark Robinson has categorically denied the accusations made by CNN, but that won't stop the left from trying to demonize him through personal attacks.” NCGOP spoke about X. “The left needs to make this election a personality contest, not a policy contest, because if voters focus on policies, Republicans will win on Election Day.”
CNN published a scathing report early Thursday highlighting a number of offensive comments made by Robinson on a pornography website more than a decade ago, including calling himself a “black Nazi” and saying he wanted to reinstate slavery.
Robinson has in the past described “transgenderism” as “filth” and viewed and commented on transgender pornography online, among other comments he has made against the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
He denied the reports and said the allegations were unusual for him.
Some members of North Carolina's Republican caucus had distanced themselves from Robinson ahead of the report's release.
North Carolina Republicans shifted the blame for the report to Democrats, even as some lawmakers said the allegations were “not good” and “very disturbing.”
“The left can try to smear Mark Robinson all they want, but when voters go to the polls on Election Day, they will be asking one simple question: Are you happier now than you were four years ago? The answer is a resounding no, and that's why Republicans will win on November 5th.Number“,” the statement said.
Robinson is running against North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat who has the endorsement of former President Trump, for governor of North Carolina. Stein currently leads Robinson by 11 percentage points, according to polling compiled by The Hill/Decision Desk.
Before the report was released Thursday, speculation about the contents of the article led some to wonder if Robinson would withdraw from the race, especially as states soon begin mailing out ballots. He said Thursday he plans to remain in the race.
