RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has withdrawn his support for fellow Republican Mark Robinson’s campaign for North Carolina governor after a CNN report tied Robinson to disturbing comments on a porn website’s message board.
Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor, has denied writing the posts that CNN reported he allegedly wrote on a pornography site’s message board more than a decade ago.
Per CNN’s reporting, Robinson allegedly wrote messages in which he referred to himself as a “black NAZI,” described Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as “worse than a maggot” and shared support for bringing back slavery.
Youngkin, who was at a fundraising event for Robinson in August, has joined other Republicans, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who have distanced themselves from Robinson’s campaign after CNN’s reporting.
“As a member of the RGA [Republican Governors’ Association] Executive Committee, Governor Youngkin attended an event for Mark Robinson in August and has no plans to further support his candidacy,” Justin Discigil, spokesperson for Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC, wrote in an email to 8News’ Tyler Englander on Wednesday.
Senior campaign advisors and other campaign staff for Robinson resigned following the CNN report, per several media outlets, and a new poll shows him 14% behind his Democratic opponent, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, in November’s governor’s race.
Also in the wake of the report, the Republican Governors’ Association said it hasn’t made new advertisement buys in support of Robinson in North Carolina.
The posts have raised questions about whether Robinson’s place on the ballot could present a challenge to other Republicans running in the state, including former President Donald Trump.
Polls show a tight race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris for North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes. Trump won North Carolina in both 2016 and 2020.
