Embattled North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is "unfit" for office if the pornographic website allegations against him are true, a prominent Republican said Sunday.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told NBC's "Meet the Press" that Robinson "deserves a chance to defend himself," but called the online posts attributed to him "beyond unnerving."
"If they're true, he's unfit to serve for office. If they're not true, he has the best lawsuit in the history of the country for libel," Graham said.
Graham also said that Robinson, the GOP nominee for North Carolina governor, "has an obligation to defend himself" and "needs to do more, in my view."
But, Graham added: "He's a political zombie if he does not offer a defense to this that's credible."
On Thursday, CNN reported that Robinson used the screen name "minisoldr" to post a series of inflammatory messages from 2008 to 2012 on the "Nude Africa" website that included: "I'm a black NAZI!" and "Slavery is not bad."
Robinson also used antisemitic, anti-Muslim and homophobic slurs, described "peeping" on women in public gym showers as a teen and enjoying transgender porn — before campaigning against trans rights in 2024, according to CNN.
In a video posted on social media before the CNN report was published, Robinson denied the allegations as "tabloid trash."
"Let me reassure you: The things that you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson. You know my words, you know my character and you know that I have been completely transparent in this race and before," he said.
Robinson also vowed to remain in the gubernatorial race against Democratic North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, who led him by 8 percentage points, 48% to 40%, in the most recent poll of likely voters, released Thursday.
