Robinson is confronting significant pressure to withdraw from the race for governor.


North Carolina Republicans are on edge Thursday morning as news of a potentially damaging story about Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson begins to circulate.

According to anonymous sources who spoke with Carolina Journal, Robinson is facing pressure from both his staff and the Trump campaign to withdraw from the gubernatorial race. This pressure is reportedly due to allegations involving his activities on adult websites during the 2000s.

Despite this, sources claim Robinson has resisted calls to step down and privately disputes the validity of the story.

In response to the emerging report, Michael Lonergan, communications director for the Mark Robinson for Governor campaign, sent an email to Carolina Journal dismissing the claims as "complete fiction." Since the news broke, Robinson has posted a video on social media affirming his intention to remain in the race.

Thursday evening marks the final deadline for withdrawing from the race. However, the cutoff to remove Robinson’s name from the ballot has already passed. With just four weeks until early voting begins and absentee ballots set to be mailed out on Friday, time is running short.


Sources reveal that the campaign of Attorney General Josh Stein, Robinson’s rival in the gubernatorial contest, leaked the story to CNN and local Raleigh news outlet WRAL. The story is expected to air later today.


Additionally, the same sources indicate that earlier this week, Trump campaign leaders privately informed Robinson that he was no longer welcome at Trump or JD Vance rallies. Although Robinson was scheduled to speak at the Vance event on Wednesday, his office announced a last-minute cancellation due to a positive COVID test.

Who will appear on your ballot?


If Robinson were to withdraw from the race—something Carolina Journal’s sources suggest he currently opposes—the North Carolina Republican Party Executive Committee would need to select a replacement for the November election.

Elections expert Andy Jackson from the John Locke Foundation’s Civitas Center for Public Integrity notes that the deadline to amend the ballot has already passed under state law. With absentee, overseas, and military ballots set to be mailed out by the North Carolina State Board of Elections on Friday, altering the ballot could potentially breach the 14th Amendment. As a result, any votes cast for Robinson on November 5 would be redirected to the replacement candidate chosen by the NCGOP.

Jackson explained, “In cases where a candidate dies before Election Day, their name remains on the ballot, and the votes go to their widow or widower, who then serves the term.”

Robinson secured the Republican primary in March, defeating NC State Treasurer Dale Folwell and businessman Bill Graham.

Correction: This story has been updated to clarify that a primary candidate is not barred from replacing a candidate of the same party. Instead, the state’s “sore loser” clause prevents a primary candidate from running for office on behalf of a different party in the general election.