N.C. GOP Stands with Mark Robinson after CNN Story

Hours after CNN finally published its long-anticipated piece on unsavory comments that Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson allegedly made on a porn site years ago, the North Carolina Republican Party released a statement late Thursday evening defending the Republican gubernatorial nominee and calling the report a smear campaign.

“Mark Robinson has categorically denied the allegations made by CNN but that won’t stop the Left from trying to demonize him via personal attacks,” the state party’s statement reads in reference to the report, which alleges that Robinson made comments on a porn message board calling himself a “black NAZI!” and defending slavery, among other alleged comments.

“The Left needs this election to be a personality contest, not a policy contest because if voters are focused on policy, Republicans win on Election Day,” the statement says.

Earlier Thursday afternoon, Robinson released a video statement denying the allegations and reassuring his supporters that he has no intention of leaving the race, as first reported in National Review.

The state party’s statement follows high-level conversations in North Carolina GOP circles earlier today about whether the controversial candidate should drop out of the race amid the firestorm of allegations against him, as National Review previously reported.