Harris campaign uses Mark Robinson scandal to jab Trump in battleground state of North Carolina

A scandal in North Carolina's gubernatorial race has elicited reactions from around the political scene and even on the 2024 presidential campaign trail, where Vice President Kamala Harris has taken the opportunity to spotlight former President Donald Trump's ties to the man at the center.

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican candidate for governor, was the focus of a CNN investigation published Thursday afternoon that detailed inflammatory comments he reportedly made on a pornography website message board more than a decade ago, before he got involved in politics. The reported comments were salacious, as he called himself a "black NAZI," a "perv" and condoned slavery.

Robinson denied the comments were his in an interview with CNN. But the blockbuster report comes as the 2024 presidential election is heating up and North Carolina is a key state for either Trump or Harris to win.

Here is what to know about the report and how each presidential camp reacted.

So it begins: 2024 presidential election underway as early voting opens in states

Polls: Where did Mark Robinson stand in NC governor's race before Thursday's allegations?

Mark Robinson vows to stay in race, blames Democratic opponent

Robinson blamed his Democratic opponent Josh Stein for leaking the story to CNN, evoking the words of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and calling it a 'high-tech lynching'."

"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," Robinson said in a video on X.

Some North Carolina Republicans called on Robinson to step out of the race, the Washington Post reported, but he vowed to continue his campaign. Even before the CNN report, Robinson has lagged behind Stein in the polls.

The deadline to drop out of the race passed as North Carolina is scheduled to begin mailing absentee ballots to military and overseas constituents on Friday.

Harris campaign quick to highlight Trump's ties to Robinson

The Harris campaign's X account, KamalaHQ, was quick to chime in on the CNN report, posting a video that mockingly portrayed Trump and Robinson as "best friends."

The clip highlighted Trump's comments calling Robinson "Martin Luther King on steroids," and "a fine wine."

The Harris campaign confirmed the party will run advertisements for North Carolina voters with a similar message starting Friday.

Robinson has been previously endorsed by Trump.

The lieutenant governor has long been a controversial figure for derogatory statements about the LGBTQ community and reproductive rights.

Trump campaign dodges comment on Robinson

While a report surfaced suggesting Trump campaign staffers urged Robinson to drop out, the campaign avoided confirming those accounts or denouncing Robinson's comments.

“President Trump’s campaign is focused on winning the White House and saving this country. North Carolina is an vital part of that plan," Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "We will not take our eye off the ball.”

North Carolina is a key battleground state in the 2024 election. A Democrat hasn't won the state since 2008, but Trump beat Joe Biden by just 50.1% to 48.7% in 2020. While presidential races can typically mobilize voters to sway down-ballot races, some have wondered if the Robinson scandal could hurt Trump's chances in the Tar Heel State.

Contributing: James Powel and Savannah Kuchar

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mark Robinson scandal: How Harris and Trump campaigns reacted