Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) believes North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson should have the opportunity to explain himself in light of a report accusing him of controversial comments on a pornographic website.
“I think what’s going to happen here is that he deserves a chance to defend himself, Mark Robinson. The charges are beyond unnerving. If they’re true, he’s unfit to serve for office,” Graham said in a Sunday interview with NBC News Meet the Press.
Robinson was thrust into the spotlight on Thursday after CNN reported that the lieutenant governor allegedly posted a number of controversial comments on a forum of a pornographic website between 2008 and 2012, in which he had called himself a “black NAZI.” He has blasted CNN for the report, calling the allegations false, and arguing the posts were artificially created. He has said he will not drop out of the race.
Graham said if the allegations are not true, “he has the best lawsuit in the history of the country for libel.”
“If I were him, I would hire me the best lawyer I could find. I’d sue the hell out of CNN,” Graham said, adding that the nominee “has an obligation to defend himself” and the allegations are “hanging over his campaign.”
News of Robinson’s latest scandal sent Democrats into a tailspin, with the Harris campaign immediately taking advantage of the situation by releasing a video that ties Robinson to former President Donald Trump. Democrats are seeing an opportunity for North Carolina to be a pickup in the 2024 election, where the state’s 16 electoral votes could make a significant effect on whether Harris or Trump wins the White House.
An average of polling in the state shows that Trump is just 0.1 points ahead of Harris, 47.5% to her 47.4%, making it the closest race in the country.
Graham did not answer host Kristen Welker when she asked whether Trump should rescind his endorsement of Robinson. Trump has a history of supporting controversial candidates, including Herschel Walker in Georgia. Walker ultimately lost the race to Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
Political analyst Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball newsletter held an emergency meeting shortly after the CNN report dropped, shifting the North Carolina gubernatorial race from “lean Democratic” to “likely Democratic.”
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The South Carolina senator argued that Trump won in 2016 and 2020, while the Republican candidate for governor lost both times. “I don’t think this hurts Trump, but as to Robinson, he’s a political zombie if he does not offer a defense to this that’s credible,” Graham said.
Other Republicans have commented on the allegations against Robinson. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Trump’s running mate, said the claims “aren’t necessarily reality” and it’s up to North Carolina voters if Robinson becomes governor. Graham’s remarks echoed those of Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who said Robinson needs to either take accountability for the controversial statements or take “immediate legal action.”