Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, has come under fire following a CNN investigation that revealed he posted racist, explicit, and incendiary comments on a pornographic website over a decade ago. The report detailed comments made by an account with the name "minisoldr" on a website called Nude Africa between 2008 and 2012. The account, which used the name "mark robinson" and had biographical details matching Robinson's own history, made disturbing comments about slavery and identified as a "black NAZI."

The user behind the account expressed a desire to "bring [slavery] back" and "buy a few" slaves, along with other racially charged remarks. Despite the evidence linking the account to Robinson, the lieutenant governor vehemently denied the accusations in a video posted before CNN's story was published. Robinson rejected the claims, stating that the words in the report were not his own and that he would not withdraw from the race. This controversy has brought significant attention to the state's upcoming gubernatorial election.

Robinson, who has a history of making controversial statements on various topics, including LGBTQ+ issues, has received support from former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him for governor. With North Carolina set to begin mailing ballots to military members and overseas voters, the release of the report has raised concerns among Republicans about the impact it may have on Robinson's candidacy. Some Republicans, like Sen. Ted Budd, have expressed the need to gather more information before making a decision on Robinson's future in the race.