Republican gubernatorial candidate for North Carolina, Mark Robinson, announced Tuesday that his campaign team has sought legal assistance in response to allegations of explicit racial and sexual messages, brought forward through a CNN report. The law firm is tasked with investigating the origin of what Robinson deems “deceptive slurs.”
The subsequent disturbance among local Republicans has prompted some officials to propose that if Robinson’s refutation isn’t soon deemed formal, the party should concentrate its efforts on other in-state races. Notably, after the group had previously invested millions of dollars in Robinson’s campaign against Democratic opponent Josh Stein, the Republican Governors Association has officially ceased their support for Robinson. Coupled with this, many of Robinson’s key campaign staff have decided to resign amidst the scandal.
Concerns arise among GOP officials that the controversy enveloping Robinson’s campaign could pose a risk to other Republican nominees, potentially hampering Donald Trump’s presidential bid and benefiting Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the valuable swing state.
In a public call to action, Hal Weatherman, nominee for the lieutenant governor’s office endorsed by Robinson, stated that Robinson had a duty to swiftly and decisively disprove the allegations against him, warning that failure to do so would lead to his loss owing to the egregious nature of the remarks related to him.
Robinson, a staunch favorite among conservative GOP voters in the state and a potential first Black governor if elected, has fervently denied crafting the controversial messages, which date back a decade ago, long before his venture into politics. Robinson announced in a news release that he is certain the Binnall Law Group, a northern Virginia law firm, won’t rest until they use every legal means to hold CNN responsible for their false claims. This is noteworthy since a partner at the firm, Jesse Binnall, has previously represented Trump.
CNN alleges that Robinson posted several controversial messages on porn site forums wherein he categorized himself as a “black NAZI;” confessed a preference for transgender pornography; stated a preference for Hitler over then-President Barack Obama; and issued a scathing criticism of late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Robinson has yet to provide counter-evidence to the report.
Robinson, who was endorsed by Trump prior to the primaries and has addressed rallies for the former president, wasn’t present at a recent Trump event in Wilmington and Trump didn’t mention him either. Meanwhile, JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, suggested North Carolina voters be the judge of Robinson’s defense.
The RGA and an associated PAC have reportedly spent nearly $16 million on television and online advertising, data from AdImpact reveals. Stein’s campaign and allied groups have presided over a significant spending spree, outpacing Robinson and his allies during the general election. The cut-off deadline for any North Carolina gubernatorial candidate to withdraw from the race lapsed on Sept. 19.
