This is a developing story and will be updated.
North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson vowed on Thursday to remain in his race in advance of what he called the release of a media report against him, saying he won't be forced out by "salacious tabloid lies."
A CNN article released Thursday afternoon, "‘I’m a black NAZI!’: NC GOP nominee for governor made dozens of disturbing comments on porn forum," outlined multiple allegations of lewd remarks by Robinson from 2008 to 2012.
The state Republican party issued a statement Thursday evening on X, formerly Twitter, supporting Robinson's candidacy.
"Mark Robinson categorically denied the allegations made by CNN but that won’t stop the Left from trying to demonize him via personal attack," the statement said.
Democratic Governor Roy Cooper also posted on X.
"Donald Trump and NC GOP leaders embraced Mark Robinson for years knowing who he was and what he stood for including disrespect for women and inciting violence. They reap what they sow," he posted.
"The comments reported in the article are disgusting. Mark Robinson says they are not from him. He needs to prove that to the voters," U.S. Senator Ted Budd, who previously endorsed Robinson, said in a statement.
Robinson, the sitting lieutenant governor who decisively won his GOP gubernatorial primary in March, has been trailing in several recent polls to Democratic nominee Josh Stein, the current attorney general.
“We are staying in this race. We are in it to win it,” Robinson said in a video posted Thursday on the social media platform X. “And we know that with your help, we will.”
Robinson preemptively denied the allegations in the report.
“Let me reassure you the things that you will see in that story — those are not the words of Mark Robinson," he said. "You know my words. You know my character.”
The contents of the story have not been independently verified by BPR or The Associated Press.
In response to the article, Democratic state attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein's campaign issued a statement calling his challenger "unfit."
“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," the campaign said in a statement.
According to the State Board of Elections, any candidate who wants to withdraw must do so “prior to the first day on which military and overseas absentee ballots [UOCAVA ballots] are transmitted to voters," under state law.
"North Carolina will begin transmitting these UOCAVA ballots on Friday, September 20," a statement from the Board of Elections said.
Former President Donald Trump has frequently voiced his support for Robinson, who has been considered a rising star in his party, well-known for his fiery speeches and evocative rhetoric.
Ahead of the March primary, Trump at a rally in Greensboro called Robinson “Martin Luther King on steroids” in reference to the civil rights leader, for his speaking ability.
According to the CNN article, Robinson allegedly posted, “I’m not in the KKK. They don’t let blacks join. If I was in the KKK I would have called him Martin Lucifer Koon!”
