On Monday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp rescinded his support for Robinson in the wake of revelations concerning controversial remarks Robinson allegedly made years ago. CNN's report exposed inflammatory comments attributed to Robinson and posted on various social media platforms. A spokesperson for Kemp confirmed the governor's decision in a statement obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after photos surfaced of Kemp speaking at a recent fundraiser for Robinson. “The governor attended the fundraiser as vice chair of the Republican Governors Association and will not be offering further support to the Robinson campaign,” said Cody Hall, a senior Kemp deputy. The same day, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee also withdrew his endorsement of Robinson’s candidacy. Political analysts suggest the loss of high-profile endorsements could jeopardize Robinson’s chances of winning the governor's seat. "Gov. Lee is no longer supporting Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's gubernatorial bid," Lee spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson told The Tennessean in an email on Monday. The Republican Governors Association, headed by Lee, confirmed that it will not be placing any more ad buys for Robinson. The erosion of support follows a CNN investigation that unearthed inflammatory statements Robinson allegedly made on social media and adult websites before entering politics. According to CNN’s KFile, Robinson, under the pseudonym “minisoldr,” made graphic and controversial remarks on a pornographic message board more than a decade ago. These included a self-description as a “black Nazi” and posts expressing an interest in transgender pornography — despite his current outspoken opposition to the transgender community. As CNN reported:Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson of North Carolina is facing a major setback in his gubernatorial campaign as prominent Republican figures have withdrawn their endorsements following the release of a damning CNN report.
The comments, which Robinson denies making, predate his entry into politics and current stint as North Carolina’s lieutenant governor. They were made under a username that CNN was able to identify as Robinson by matching a litany of biographical details and a shared email address between the two. Many of Robinson’s comments were gratuitously sexual and lewd in nature. They were made between 2008 and 2012 on “Nude Africa,” a pornographic website that includes a message board. The comments were made under the username minisoldr, a moniker Robinson used frequently online. Robinson listed his full name on his profile for Nude Africa, as well as an email address he used on numerous websites across the internet for decades. Robinson has vehemently denied the allegations and announced plans to pursue legal action against CNN. "I am in the process of retaining aggressive legal counsel to investigate who did this and how; we will leave no stone unturned, and will use every legal means to hold CNN accountable for perpetrating these lies,” Robinson said in a statement.
I am in the process of retaining aggressive legal counsel to investigate who did this and how; we will leave no stone unturned, and will use every legal means to hold CNN accountable for perpetrating these lies.
I am not backing down, the future of North Carolina depends on it.… pic.twitter.com/Lb9xuvF5Au
— Mark Robinson (@markrobinsonNC) September 23, 2024 Despite his public denials, sources told WRAL News that Robinson rejected multiple offers from information technology experts to assist in investigating the origin of the comments. This raised concerns within his campaign, leading to the resignation of at least eight staffers, including his campaign manager and finance director.
