North Carolina Democrat Says Mark Robinson Scandal Could Swing 2024 Election

North Carolina Democratic Rep. Jeff Jackson on Friday said a CNN report detailing racist and lewd online statements allegedly made years ago by GOP gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson could impact the result of the U.S. presidential election in the state.

In an interview with “CNN This Morning,” Jackson said the public is seeing “an implosion by this candidate, the likes of which we’ve never seen in North Carolina, frankly.”

“Normally someone running for governor, even if they turned out to underperform, wouldn’t be someone who would impact the rest of the ticket, but this isn’t normal,” he said.

Jackson added that most of the statewide elections in North Carolina this season are essentially “50-50 races,” meaning the news could prove decisive in November if it impacts the vote.

“If he affects it by half a percent, which he certainly could, he could swing a whole bunch of elections, including the presidential election,” Jackson said of Robinson, who is currently the state’s lieutenant governor.

CNN on Thursday published controversial comments allegedly made by Robinson on the message board of a pornographic website between 2008 and 2012, including calling himself a “black NAZI” and speaking about his appreciation for transgender porn.

Robinson, who has recently espoused anti-trans rhetoric, denied making the statements and vowed to remain in the governor’s race.

Former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee for the White House, endorsed Robinson earlier this year. Trump has praised him on multiple occasions, calling him “better” than civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

Trump did not comment on Robinson’s alleged posts in speeches he made Thursday, as his campaign is reportedly planning to distance itself from Robinson going forward, according to The New York Times. In a statement released after CNN’s story broke, Trump’s campaign did not mention Robinson or the allegations but said that it “is focused on winning the White House and saving this country. North Carolina is a vital part of that plan.”

Jackson, who is running for the state attorney general’s office, told CNN that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is making a concerted effort to win North Carolina, a key battleground in the 2024 race, citing 28 field offices her campaign has opened across the state and her investment in “TV time” to reach voters there, among other things.

“She is pulling every single lever that you can pull to win this state,” he said.

As of Thursday, Trump was leading Harris by one-tenth of a percentage point in North Carolina, according to an average of polls compiled by FiveThirtyEight.

Jackson predicted that a number of Republicans will start distancing themselves from Robinson following this week’s controversy.

“I think you’re going to see a bunch of Republicans who strongly endorsed Robinson start to walk it back,” he told CNN. “Robinson was the person you wanted at your fundraiser if you were a Republican in North Carolina for the last several years. They all have photos with him. They all heaped praise as soon as he started running. I think they’re going to have to start walking that back.”

For now, though, the North Carolina Republican Party is defending Robinson.

“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,” it wrote. “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.”