Republicans are increasingly distancing themselves from North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.
The state’s GOP gubernatorial candidate is embroiled in scandal and others are worried he will spell doom for other elections this November in the vital swing state.
The race for the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh was turned on its head last week when CNN reported that Robinson made racist, lewd and salacious comments on the pornographic forum Nude Africa.
Republicans are deleting images they posted with Robinson and at least 10 right-wing individuals and groups have canceled events with the candidate.
And the Republican Governors Association (RCA) has stopped running ads for Robinson.
A spokesperson for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s PAC said he will no longer ‘support [Robinson’s] candidacy’ after the governor attended an event for the candidate in August in his capacity on the RGA executive committee.
Republicans are distancing themselves from North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson in the midst of a scathing scandal
Laurie Buckhout, a candidate for North Carolina’s 1st congressional district, is one of those seeking to erase her digital footprint with the controversial politician. She deleted at least nine photos on X showing her alongside Robinson in five different tweets.
‘North Carolina’s next governor,’ she wrote in one of the X posts.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch Mcconnell said on Tuesday he is relieved that there is not a Senate race in the Tar Heel state this cycle, indicating concern over the effect Robinson could have down the ballot.
‘I’m happy that there’s not a Senate race in North Carolina,’ the Kentucky Republican said.
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Mark Robinson issues warning to CNN over 'Black Nazi' porn story and responds to his staff resigning
Robinson has rebuked calls for him to drop out of the race and has vehemently denied the CNN report, which alleges that the Lieutenant Governor called himself a ‘black Nazi’ and ‘perv,’ among other concerning claims, on the porn website.
A slew of North Carolinians are concerned about GOP bids beyond just the gubernatorial race now that the claims against Robinson have come to light.
North Carolina voted red for Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, but is considered up for grabs this year and Democrats are working hard to flip the battleground swing state.
But political analysts and election experts aren’t so sure the Robinson claims will affect the presidential ticket in 2024.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is term-limited and is leaving office at the end of the year. Robinson is running against Democrat Josh Stein.
North Carolina’s Republican candidate for state auditor, Dave Boliek; State Sen. Lisa Stone Barnes, who is running for reelection; and State Rep. Bill Ward, also in a reelection race, all appear to have removed posts on their social media where they are pictured with Robinson, according to a CNN review of their accounts.
At least 10 right leaning groups and individuals have canceled events with Robinson, and several candidates in North Carolina have deleted images online with the lieutenant governor
State Rep. Allen Chesser deleted Robinson’s endorsement from his website amid his reelection race and Stacie McGinn, who is running for North Carolina Senate, deleted a post where she praised the gubernatorial candidate for commemorating a slain police officer.
A political analyst at conservative think tank John Locke Foundation dismissed claims that Robinson’s scandal will somehow hurt Trump
‘I doubt that Mark Robinson’s latest controversy will have much of an impact on Donald Trump at the top of the ticket,’ Mitch Kokai told Newsweek. ‘The former president has won North Carolina’s electoral votes twice, despite all of his own electoral baggage.’
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Wednesday of the report: ‘If [true] they’re devastating and disqualifying.’
‘We’ve got an election that’s three and a half Scaramucci away, and we have to, we have to fill our best candidates,’ he continued, referencing the short-lived tenure of Anthony Scaramucci, who was Donald Trump’s White House Communications Director for only 10 days.