North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee in the state’s gubernatorial race, lost two powerful supporters on Monday.
Govs. Brian Kemp (R-GA) and Bill Lee (R-TN), who leads the Republican Governors Association, pulled support for Robinson’s embattled campaign after allegations he made offensive comments on a pornographic website. Their move could mark a blow to Robinson’s bid to become the first Republican to win North Carolina’s governor seat since 1985.
Kemp’s office said he would “not be offering further support to the Robinson campaign,” according to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
His comments came after the outlet pressed Kemp’s office about photos of the Georgia governor campaigning alongside Robinson in August. The previous month, Robinson posted a picture to Facebook of him standing alongside Kemp and other GOP leaders, including Lee, at the Republican National Convention as he praised “these guys” for exemplifying “the kinds of pro-growth conservative reforms we can bring to NC together.”
Lee’s office also told the Tennessean that he “is no longer supporting Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s gubernatorial bid.” The Tennessee governor’s office confirmed that a North Carolina fundraiser for Robinson that Lee was scheduled to attend had been canceled.
As chairman of the RGA, Lee’s words mark a 180-turn from the words of praise he held for the North Carolina Republican this spring.
“North Carolina families want someone whose conservative policies will deliver results by expanding opportunity, security, and freedom. From investing in safe neighborhoods to driving economic prosperity, Mark Robinson will put the people of North Carolina first,” Lee said in a statement endorsing Robinson in March.
Lee’s and Kemp’s move to backtrack support for Robinson signals a precipitous drop in enthusiasm for the North Carolinian’s campaign following a bombshell CNN report released last Thursday. The network reported that the GOP lawmaker used sexually explicit and racist comments on a pornographic site over a decade ago. He was reportedly active on the forum “Nude Africa” between 2008 and 2012.
Robinson has said he will not drop out of the race. He has fiercely denied the allegations as “tabloid trash” and announced his intention to pursue “legal counsel” against CNN on Monday. Eight of his staffers had resigned as of the previous day.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who backed Robinson in March, has also appeared to distance himself from the North Carolinian.
Speaking during a North Carolina rally on Saturday, Trump did not mention Robinson by name, though he referred to other North Carolina Republicans such as Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC). Robinson did not appear at the rally, despite speaking at an Asheville event alongside the former president in August.
Robinson retains support from the North Carolina GOP. Republicans have been hopeful they could flip the North Carolina’s governor seat earlier this year. Polling conducted prior to the CNN report showed Robinson in a competitive race against North Carolina Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Kemp’s and Lee’s offices for comment.
