North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson affirmed his commitment to the gubernatorial race on Thursday, dismissing rumors of his withdrawal in light of a damning report by CNN. In a preemptive move, Robinson took to the social media platform X, accusing Josh Stein's campaign, his Democratic opponent, of leaking the report to undermine him. He refuted the allegations made in the CNN article, emphasizing that they did not reflect his true character or beliefs. "The narrative you're going to encounter in that report doesn't capture who I am," Robinson stated. "My record speaks for itself - I've been nothing but open and honest throughout this campaign."
The CNN investigation unearthed a series of derogatory comments allegedly made by Robinson on a message board for an adult website over a decade ago. The posts, attributed to an account under the username “minisoldr,” were linked to Robinson through various identifiers including his full name and an email address he has used. Among other things, the posts contained remarks where Robinson identified as a “black NAZI” and expressed support for reinstating slavery.
In response to these claims during an interview with CNN, Robinson maintained that such comments were out of character for him and suggested that the evidence was fabricated. He accused Stein's campaign of resorting to desperate tactics by focusing on these accusations rather than discussing policy issues.
Robinson also drew parallels between his situation and Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1991, suggesting he was similarly being unfairly targeted.
Throughout his political journey, Robinson has incited controversy with his views on several topics including abortion rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and race relations. Despite previous contentious statements and even recent allegations regarding frequent visits to porn shops—which he denies—Robinson's campaign continues forward.
Josh Stein's campaign responded to the CNN revelations by reinforcing their position that Robinson is not suitable for North Carolina's governorship but remained focused on their own path toward victory.
Despite challenges faced by Robinson due to these controversies and polling indicating Stein's lead in the gubernatorial race—a position bolstered by election forecasters recently shifting their ratings more favorably towards Stein—the Republican nominee remains steadfast in his pursuit of the governorship amidst one of America’s most closely watched battlegrounds.
The CNN investigation unearthed a series of derogatory comments allegedly made by Robinson on a message board for an adult website over a decade ago. The posts, attributed to an account under the username “minisoldr,” were linked to Robinson through various identifiers including his full name and an email address he has used. Among other things, the posts contained remarks where Robinson identified as a “black NAZI” and expressed support for reinstating slavery.
In response to these claims during an interview with CNN, Robinson maintained that such comments were out of character for him and suggested that the evidence was fabricated. He accused Stein's campaign of resorting to desperate tactics by focusing on these accusations rather than discussing policy issues.
Robinson also drew parallels between his situation and Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1991, suggesting he was similarly being unfairly targeted.
Throughout his political journey, Robinson has incited controversy with his views on several topics including abortion rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and race relations. Despite previous contentious statements and even recent allegations regarding frequent visits to porn shops—which he denies—Robinson's campaign continues forward.
Josh Stein's campaign responded to the CNN revelations by reinforcing their position that Robinson is not suitable for North Carolina's governorship but remained focused on their own path toward victory.
Despite challenges faced by Robinson due to these controversies and polling indicating Stein's lead in the gubernatorial race—a position bolstered by election forecasters recently shifting their ratings more favorably towards Stein—the Republican nominee remains steadfast in his pursuit of the governorship amidst one of America’s most closely watched battlegrounds.
