Mark Robinson defends his character amid damaging CNN story, says he's staying in NC gov race to 'win'

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina Republican Lt Governor Mark Robinson has vowed to remain in the gubernatorial race despite the publication of a damaging story.

On Thursday, speculation mounted that Robinson might drop out even before the story was published, and the lieutenant governor confirmed he is committed to continuing his campaign.

Mark Robinson calls CNN story 'false', insists it doesn’t reflect his words

Mark Robinson accused Democratic nominee Josh Stein's campaign of leaking the story to CNN, per The Hill.

In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter), moments before the story was published, he dismissed the allegations, calling them false and reaffirming his intention to win the governor's seat.

"We are staying in this race. We are in it to win it," he said in the video.

Following the publication of the CNN report, the story revealed that Robinson had made inflammatory comments between 2008 and 2012 in various online chatrooms and indecent websites.

Using the username "minisoldr," Robinson referred to himself as a "black NAZI!" and supported reinstating slavery. He also allegedly used the term "prev" in reference to himself.

Robinson, however, refuted the story in his video, claiming the details are inaccurate. “Let me assure you, the things you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson,” he stated.

“You know my words. You know my character, and you know that I have been completely transparent in this race and before,” he added.

CNN chose not to publish all of the comments made by Robinson due to their graphic nature, but the published details have already created significant backlash.

Mark Robinson's past comments on abortion have drawn attention

Despite the uproar caused by Mark Robinson's past comments, his campaign remains steadfast.

His spokesman, Michael Lonergan, told National Review that the notion of Robinson withdrawing from the race is “complete fiction.”

Robinson is running to replace outgoing Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, but his chances of flipping the seat are now under scrutiny, given the controversy surrounding his past remarks.

Robinson's stance on various issues has drawn attention before.

In 2020, he advocated for a total abortion ban with no exceptions. However, in 2022, he expressed regret for paying for his now-wife's abortion in the 1980s.

As a candidate for governor, he now supports a "heartbeat" bill that would ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions related to sexual mishaps and the health of the mother.

Internet demands Mark Robinson to 'drop out immediately'

Mark Robinson’s remarks have sparked a wave of criticism on social media, with many users calling for him to withdraw from the race.

"You're a disgrace," wrote one user on X. "Nobody believes you. Drop out," another added.

"As a liberal, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for delivering NC to Kamala Harris. Nobody could have done it quite like you," one commenter wrote, sarcastically thanking Robinson for hurting his own campaign.

Another user wrote, "Mark, you’re a perv and a degenerate. You’re a perfect fit for the MAGA party. Keep up the great work!"

Others echoed the same sentiment, with one user bluntly stating, "Drop out immediately."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.