Ohio Senator JD Vance recently stirred the pot on social media with his comments regarding North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson’s scandal. Robinson, the state’s GOP lieutenant governor, faced serious allegations from a CNN report stating he made racist and sexist remarks on a pornographic website over a decade ago. Despite these claims, Robinson, who has received support from former President Donald Trump, maintains that he did not write those posts and vows to stay in the race.
During an NBC News interview in Leesport, Pennsylvania, Vance described the allegations as “pretty far out there,” emphasizing that “allegations aren’t necessarily reality.” When pressed about whether he felt comfortable with Robinson as the GOP nominee, Vance responded that it was up to Robinson and the people of North Carolina to decide.
Vance’s comments took a turn when he remarked, “I don’t not believe him, I don’t believe him,” suggesting that public opinion should weigh in on the matter. This segment sparked significant interest on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where users shared clips of his response, prompting critical reactions. A video clip shared by journalist Aaron Rupar received over 1.3 million views.
Notable figures, including former tennis star Andy Roddick, criticized Vance’s wording as “word salad,” and others echoed similar sentiments, calling the response “incredible.”
Sean Simmers/The Patriot-News via AP
CNN’s report disclosed that Robinson allegedly made several derogatory remarks, including self-identifying as a “Black NAZI” and defending slavery. Furthermore, it mentioned a username linked to Robinson that had expressed admiration for Nazi literature, including a favorable review of “Mein Kampf.”
Robinson has categorically denied these posts, insisting that they do not represent his thoughts or character in a video shared online. Meanwhile, Vance remarked that Robinson will handle this situation as he sees fit, while indicating that he and Trump do not plan to campaign alongside him.
On a related note, during Trump’s rally in Wilmington, North Carolina—an important battleground state—Robinson was notably absent from the speaking lineup.