Lawmakers and voters react to bombshell allegations against Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- New reaction is pouring in Thursday night about Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson--the Republican nominee for Governor.
"It's just interesting that a person could be that way or just operate, just in general especially a person in politics," said Brittany Turner, who just moved to North Carolina from Arkansas. "It's just alarming."
We met her outside the Oberlin Regional Library. She said she wasn't planning to vote for Robinson for Governor.
"I feel like even before this information definitely not," she said. "But now even more."
Junior Senator Ted Budd also chimed in Thursday saying "The comments reported in the article are disgusting. Mark Robinson says they are not from him. He needs to prove it."
Robinson himself reacted on Twitter minutes before the piece came out. CNN claims Robinson made several inflammatory comments on a message board of a pornography site more than a decade ago.
Afterward, on CNN he claimed the posts were fake.
ALSO SEE: North Carolina Democrats, Republicans react to latest Mark Robinson scandal
"It's simply tabloid trash being used as a distraction from the substantive issues people in this state are facing," Robinson said. "We have addressed it, said it's not true, and wish we could move on and get to the business of the people of the state."
Other lawmakers weighed in including his opponent and current Attorney General Josh Stein in addition to other North Carolina politicians including State Representative Zach Hawkins.
"It's an embarrassment to North Carolina," Hawkins said. "There's no running away from it. If North Carolinians are smart and I know they are, they'll make the right choice."
Eyewitness News also Zoomed with Asher Hildebrand. He's a professor of public policy at Duke University. He was also former Congressman David Price's chief of staff.
"These comments are so far beyond the pale," Hildebrand said. "Anyone with an inkling of public service or public life, you don't think about saying anything like this. This is why a number of Republicans were concerned about when he was elected Lieutenant Governor but the voters sent him to those offices."
Voters like Brittany are encouraging people to care about the election at every level.
"Some people get so caught up in the bigger election and they forget it's also important to focus on the local people," she said.
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