Controversial North Carolina candidate for governor rattles Republicans in critical swing state

Last updated at [hour]:[minute] [AM/PM] [timezone] on [month] [day], [year]

The political landscape is still shaken by a CNN report revealing that Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina and the current Lieutenant Governor, shared racist and explicit content on a message board of an adult website over ten years ago.

Although The Associated Press has not verified the details of the report and Robinson has refuted it, the article prompted a sudden effort by certain Republicans to persuade Robinson to step out of the gubernatorial race in this important battleground state.

Robinson chose not to back down, maintaining his position as the newest in a series of unconventional Republican candidates emerging in the wake of former President Donald Trump. His intriguing narrative has gained significant attention, not just for its own interest, but also due to its potential influence on Trump’s aspirations for a comeback in the presidential race this November.

A New Unconventional Politician Emerges

Robinson, who previously worked in a furniture factory, began his journey in politics after attending a Greensboro City Council meeting in 2018. There, he passionately opposed the council's decision to cancel a gun show following a school shooting in Florida. His intense advocacy for gun rights — declaring, “I’m going to come down here to this city council and raise hell just like these crazies from the left do until you listen to what most people in this city want,” — garnered widespread attention and quickly went viral.

Robinson quit his job in the furniture industry to focus on public speaking, delivering talks for the National Rifle Association and various conservative organizations. In 2020, he ran for the position of Lieutenant Governor as a Republican and surprisingly secured a statewide role that usually takes politicians many years to achieve, all in his debut campaign. Shortly afterwards, he started working towards becoming the first significant Black candidate from a major party for governor in 2024, as Democrat Roy Cooper would be unable to run for re-election due to term limits.

Robinson gained a reputation for fueling conservative debates on cultural issues, particularly when it came to sex and gender matters. In a Facebook post from 2019, he, who had previously acknowledged that he funded his girlfriend's abortion in the 1980s, claimed that abortion in America was primarily about "killing a child because you weren't accountable enough." Then, in a church speech in 2021, he referred to gay and transgender individuals as "filth."

Robinson's bold remarks made some Republicans anxious about his chances in the general election in North Carolina, a state known for favoring moderate Democratic candidates over strict conservatives for governor. However, most Republican voters didn’t seem to share those worries; they chose Robinson as their nominee this year, even though there were two other candidates who were generally viewed as more viable options. Robinson also gained an advantage from Trump's endorsement in the primaries, where Trump likened Robinson to Martin Luther King, Jr.

CNN Report Surfaces During Struggling Campaign

The campaign hasn't unfolded as Robinson's supporters expected. Many believed that a straightforward Black candidate expressing conservative views could succeed in a traditionally Republican state, where Democrats often depend on African-American voters for victory. However, Robinson has consistently lagged behind the Democratic candidate for governor, Josh Stein, in the polls. Stein argues that Robinson's tough talk and rigid stance make him unqualified to govern the state.

Concerns among Republicans intensified earlier this week with the emergence of rumors about a major report from CNN. Before the report was even broadcast on Thursday, some party members urged Robinson to withdraw before the midnight deadline, allowing another GOP candidate to take his place. However, Robinson declined to step down and took the initiative to share a video in which he stated, “I want to assure you that what you will see in that story — those are not my words.”

The CNN report revealed comments made by Robinson on a porn site’s forums over ten years ago, where he identified himself as a “black NAZI.” He expressed a preference for Hitler over President Barack Obama in 2012, criticized civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. by calling him “worse than a maggot,” and mentioned that he found transgender pornography enjoyable.

According to CNN, they established a connection between the posts and Robinson by following the email associated with them back to the candidate. They also observed specific phrases that Robinson frequently uses, along with mentions of his personal life, family background, and marriage throughout the content.

This left a lot of North Carolina Republicans stunned, yet as the clock struck midnight, Robinson continued to be the candidate. Ballots were sent out to voters overseas and military personnel, signaling the official beginning of the voting process and a moment from which there was no turning back.

How Will This Affect The Presidential Campaign?

Typically, the outcome of a governor's race in a state doesn’t influence the choice of presidential candidates competing for its electoral votes. North Carolina, in particular, has demonstrated that its electorate is okay with having a split government. However, Democrats are optimistic—and some Republicans are concerned—that Robinson's distinctive circumstances could bring about a different outcome this year.

In the 2020 election, Trump secured victory in the state by a narrow margin of less than 1 percent, and Vice President Kamala Harris is targeting its 16 electoral votes. Prior to the CNN report released this week, Democrats were already optimistic due to Robinson's difficulties in the state. Now they're intensifying their efforts—on Friday, the Harris campaign released an advertisement showing Trump speaking favorably about Robinson, and the Democratic National Committee has put up billboards linking the two candidates.

Indicating some unease among Republicans, Robinson won't be joining Trump during his visit to the state on Saturday. However, this tricky situation could become even more challenging as the campaign progresses in this important swing state, which Trump plans to visit regularly.

However, it's still possible that Robinson's issues won't have much of an impact on Trump, aside from complicating his travel plans.

"I believe it won't make a difference," Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, shared with reporters on Friday. "Voters are savvy enough to distinguish between different elections."