North Carolina GOP Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson‘s gubernatorial campaign is continuing to face mounting pressure as Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, on Monday addressed the recent allegations surrounding the candidate.
Robinson and his campaign were rocked by a CNN report on Thursday that alleged the lieutenant governor made racist and sexist posts on a pornography website over a decade ago. Robinson, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has repeatedly denied writing the posts and has said he’ll stay in the race.
Tillis, meanwhile, urged Robinson to “move quickly to disprove” the allegations on Monday. “This should not be that difficult to disprove,” the senator stated, according to Andrew Desiderio, senior congressional reporter for Punch Bowl News.
While Tillis stopped short of withdrawing support for Robinson, he made it clear that he “won’t be campaigning for Robinson,” stating that his personal vote is “less relevant than what I am focused on,” namely legislative districts and the presidential race.
Newsweek has contacted Robinson and Tillis’ offices via email on Monday for comment.
The top senator’s comments come amid a tumultuous period for Robinson’s campaign, which has seen the departure of several top staffers following the release of CNN’s report. The news outlet alleged that Robinson had made inflammatory posts on an adult website’s message boards, including calling himself a “black NAZI” and expressing a preference for Adolf Hitler over then-President Barack Obama in 2012.
Robinson has vehemently denied authorship of the posts, dismissing them as “salacious tabloid lies.” During a campaign event in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, on Monday, he reaffirmed his commitment to staying in the race, telling local reporters, “We have five weeks left in this race and make no mistake, we will not let this derail us from our mission.”
The lieutenant governor also revealed plans to take legal action against CNN, stating, “We’re in talks, including with legal counsel, to hold them accountable for what they’ve done.”
North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson speaks on stage on July 15 in Milwaukee. Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign is continuing to face mounting pressure as Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, on Monday addressed the recent allegations surrounding the candidate.
Getty Images/Leon Neal
Despite Robinson’s defiance, the controversy has led to significant upheaval within his campaign. Senior adviser Conrad Pogorzelski III confirmed the departures of multiple staff members, including the campaign manager, finance director, deputy campaign manager, deputy finance director, two political directors, and the director of operations.
The scandal has also strained Robinson’s relationship with Trump. At a Saturday campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, the former president was notably quiet on Robinson, despite the lieutenant governor’s frequent presence at past events in North Carolina.
Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, addressed the controversy during a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday and said, “What he said or didn’t say is between him and the people of North Carolina.”
He described the alleged statements as “gross” but maintained a neutral stance on Robinson’s candidacy, saying, “I think it’s up to Mark Robinson to convince the people of North Carolina that those weren’t his statements and I’m going to let him make that case.”
As Robinson faces increasing scrutiny from within his own party, he remains optimistic about his chances in the upcoming election against Democratic nominee Josh Stein, the state’s current attorney general. Despite trailing in recent polls, Robinson expressed confidence that his campaign “remains in a strong position to make our case to the voters and win on November 5.”
