North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor, has come under fire following a CNN investigation that revealed incendiary, explicit, and racist comments posted on a pornographic website over a decade ago. The report focused on comments made by an account named “minisoldr” on a website called Nude Africa between 2008 and 2012. The account used the name “mark robinson” and had biographical details that matched Robinson’s own history. In these comments, Robinson expressed inflammatory views on slavery, race, and other controversial topics.
On the Nude Africa forum, the user behind the account expressed a desire to bring back slavery and used racist language to vilify civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. The user also posted comments about their preference for Hitler over former President Barack Obama’s administration and made explicit remarks about watching pornography. The account used offensive language and expressed extreme views on various political and social topics, causing a stir in the political landscape of North Carolina.
In the wake of the CNN report, Robinson denied the comments attributed to him in the story and vowed not to drop out of the gubernatorial race. He maintained that the words in the report did not reflect his character or beliefs. Robinson’s history of controversial remarks on various topics, including LGBTQ+ issues, has drawn attention since his political rise. Former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Robinson for governor, has referred to him as “Martin Luther King on steroids,” highlighting the divisive nature of his rhetoric.
The release of the CNN report has raised concerns among Republicans about Robinson’s candidacy in the upcoming election. Some party members have expressed caution, with Senator Ted Budd stating that North Carolinian voters are smart and will make their decisions based on the candidates’ merits. The allegations against Robinson have sparked discussions about his suitability for the governorship and the impact of his past comments on the race. Robinson has accused his Democratic opponent, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, of leaking the story to CNN in an attempt to discredit him.
Despite the controversy surrounding him, Robinson has continued to campaign for the governorship of North Carolina, positioning himself as a candidate who stands against the political establishment. The fallout from the CNN report has created a challenging situation for Robinson and his supporters as they navigate the implications of the revelations. The debate over Robinson’s past comments, his response to the allegations, and the broader implications for the gubernatorial race have brought additional scrutiny to his candidacy and the issues he has championed throughout his political career.