In the midst of the upcoming presidential election, North Carolina is making headlines for more than just being a swing state. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Trump-backed Republican nominee running for N.C. governor, is facing a scandal after CNN reported that he referred to himself as a “black NAZI!” on a porn site’s message board over a decade ago and expressed support for reinstating slavery. This revelation has resulted in Robinson trailing by double digits in polls and most of his staff resigning, causing concern among Republicans that his candidacy could also impact former President Trump’s chances in the election.
This scandal adds to North Carolina’s history of political turmoil, with past incidents involving prominent figures like former U.S. Sen. John Edwards and former Rep. Madison Cawthorn. In 2018, a new election was even ordered for the House seat in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District due to fraud allegations against a Republican political operative.
Political reporters and analysts in the state are weighing in on how these scandals have reverberated in both state and national politics. Jim Morrill, a former reporter for The Charlotte Observer, Michael Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College, and Colin Campbell, the capitol bureau chief and political reporter for WUNC, are all discussing the impact of these scandals on the political landscape of North Carolina.
As the nation watches the developments in North Carolina, the state’s history of political scandals continues to shape the political discourse and influence the outcome of key elections.
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