By Daniel Trotta and Joseph Ax
(Reuters) -North Carolina’s Republican candidate for governor promised to remain within the race on Thursday after CNN reported that he as soon as referred to as himself a “black NAZI!” and proposed bringing again slavery in feedback posted on a pornography web site.
Mark Robinson, an African American who denied making the feedback, is North Carolina’s lieutenant governor and working for governor within the Nov. 5 election towards Democratic candidate Josh Stein, the state’s lawyer basic.
North Carolina’s gubernatorial marketing campaign has implications for the presidential contest. The fortunes of high-profile candidates there might have an effect on partisan turnout or enthusiasm in one of many intently divided battleground states which may swing the election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump.
Robinson, 56, who was endorsed by Trump, has a historical past of inflammatory feedback and issued a video denial on social media even earlier than the CNN story printed.
“Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story – those are not the words of Mark Robinson,” the candidate mentioned, calling the CNN report “salacious tabloid lies.”
“We are staying in this race,” Robinson mentioned.
In a single October 2010 publish on the pornography website, CNN mentioned Robinson wrote: “Slavery is not bad. Some people need to be slaves. I wish they would bring it (slavery) back. I would certainly buy a few.”
CNN mentioned Robinson additionally posted a sequence of “gratuitously sexual and lewd” posts relationship from 2008 to 2012 earlier than he entered politics, and that it was reporting solely a small portion of them given their graphic nature. Many contradicted his public stances on points equivalent to abortion and transgender rights, CNN mentioned.
Reuters was unable to right away confirm the posts. CNN didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark exterior enterprise hours.
The North Carolina Republican Social gathering stood by Robinson, saying Democrats have been resorting to a smear marketing campaign as a result of they have been dropping on coverage.
“Mark Robinson has categorically denied the allegations made by CNN but that won’t stop the Left from trying to demonize him via personal attacks,” the get together mentioned in a press release.
At the least one North Carolina Republican, U.S. Consultant Richard Hudson (NYSE:), referred to as CNN’s reporting “very concerning” and mentioned he thought Robinson wanted to do extra to reassure voters the allegations have been unfaithful.
Stein, his opponent, has featured a few of Robinson’s earlier controversial feedback in tv assault advertisements and his marketing campaign issued a press release condemning him on Thursday.
“North Carolinians already know Mark Robinson is completely unfit to be governor. Josh remains focused on winning this campaign so that together we can build a safer, stronger North Carolina for everyone,” Stein’s marketing campaign mentioned.
Following the publication of CNN’s story, the Harris marketing campaign posted video clips of Trump praising Robinson. The Trump marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. Trump is holding a rally on Saturday within the state.
Underneath North Carolina regulation, the deadline for Robinson to withdraw from the race could be Thursday at 11:59 p.m., the day earlier than the state begins sending absentee ballots to navy and abroad voters. If he have been to take action, the state Republican Social gathering’s govt committee would choose a alternative.
Absentee ballots with Robinson’s title on them have already been printed for all 100 counties, and a few counties have already begun receiving printed ballots for early voting and Election Day, in response to a spokesperson for the state elections board, Patrick Gannon.
If a candidate withdraws and it’s decided impractical to reprint ballots, any votes for that candidate will as an alternative go to the alternative candidate.
