Robinson says he’s staying in NC governor’s race after bombshell CNN report

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) said Thursday that he’s staying in the gubernatorial race following speculation throughout the day that he might drop out in response to an explosive CNN report.

Robinson alleged in a video posted to the social platform X shortly before the article’s publication that Democratic nominee Josh Stein’s campaign leaked the story to CNN. Robinson insisted that the details of the story are false.

“Let me assure you, the things you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson,” he said. “You know my words. You know my character, and you know that I have been completely transparent in this race and before.” 

“We are staying in this race. We are in it to win it,” he said.

CNN’s story, which was published about a half-hour after Robinson’s video, revealed a wide range of inflammatory comments that he reportedly made on a pornography website’s message board more than 10 years ago, including calling himself a “black NAZI” and wishing for slavery to be reinstated.

The outlet reported Robinson made these comments between 2008 and 2012, before his political career began, on a website called “Nude Africa.” An account with the username “minisoldr” made the posts, and CNN identified the account as belonging to Robinson through his full name being listed on the account, him using the username on other sites, an email address that Robinson used elsewhere and biographical details that line up with his background.

CNN reported Robinson often shared his thoughts on various issues including race, gender and abortion on the forum. He wrote while discussing Black Republicans in 2010 that “I’m a Black Nazi,” and on another occasion that he supported slavery coming back.

“Slavery is not bad. Some people need to be slaves. I wish they would bring it [slavery] back. I would certainly buy a few,” he said.

Robinson also reportedly made posts in 2011 criticizing Martin Luther King Jr. as a “commie bastard” and “worse than a maggot” and in 2012 saying that he would prefer Adolf Hitler to be in charge over “any of the s‑‑‑ that’s in Washington.”

CNN reported Robinson made various sexually graphic comments on the pornography website message board, including describing his pornography preferences.

Along with his public denial, Robinson took part in an interview with CNN in which he said the comments he is alleged to have made “is not anything that is characteristic of me.” Concerning the evidence CNN gathered tying him to making these comments, Robinson responded, “I’m not going to get into the minutia of how somebody manufactured this, these salacious tabloid lies.”

He asserted in his video on X that his opponent is “desperate” to shift attention away from policies. Robinson also invoked a quote from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in which he said he was the victim of a “high-tech lynching” during his confirmation hearings amid the allegations against him of sexual harassment against Anita Hill in the early 1990s.

“Well, it looks like Mark Robinson is too,” Robinson said.

The revelations are just the latest in a series of controversies that have surrounded Robinson’s candidacy, with the Republican nominee drawing attention for a series of incendiary remarks about various groups.

He has been an outspoken opponent of abortion, calling the practice “murder” and “genocide,” though he softened his stance and declared his support for the state’s current 12-week law during his campaign. He has described homosexuality and “transgenderism” as “filth,” called Muslims “invaders” and made derogatory comments about Jews and Black voters who support Democrats. 

Robinson has criticized the civil rights movement, arguing that “so many freedoms were lost” during that time. 

Robinson’s campaign also faced controversy this month following reports that he was a regular at porn shops in Greensboro throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, which Robinson denies.

The Stein campaign said in a statement Thursday responding to the CNN report that North Carolinians “already know” that Robinson is “completely unfit” to serve as governor.

“Josh remains focused on winning this campaign so that together we can build a safer, stronger North Carolina for everyone,” the campaign said.

Although North Carolina is one of the biggest battlegrounds in the presidential contest with Vice President Harris and former President Trump neck and neck, polling has shown the gubernatorial race not being as close, with Stein, the state’s attorney general, maintaining a significant lead over Robinson.

Stein currently leads Robinson in the Decision Desk HQ/The Hill polling average by 11 points.

Democrats and Republicans had said they expect the race to be much closer than the polls suggest, but Stein still seemed to be in a strong position to win. Several election forecasters have shifted their ratings toward Stein in recent weeks.

And after the CNN story came out, Sabato’s Crystal Ball changed its rating of the race from “lean Democrat” to “likely Democrat,” with an elections analyst sayin Robinson was was in “bad shape before and worse shape now.”

Updated at 4:27 p.m. ET