This article has been updated to correct an inaccurate headline in a previous version.

Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina and the current lieutenant governor, firmly denied a striking CNN report on Thursday claiming he made inappropriate comments on an adult website, stating he has no intention of withdrawing from the governor’s race.

“I want to assure you, the statements included in that article do not reflect the views of Mark Robinson,” he stated in a video posted on X. He accused Josh Stein, North Carolina’s attorney general and his Democratic challenger, of being behind the leak of this information.

The accusations outlined by CNN are extensive. The network alleges that Robinson frequented a pornographic website between 2008 and 2012, leaving a range of comments that were sexually explicit, racist, transphobic, or otherwise derogatory.

Among the troubling claims are remarks about having seen naked women in public gym showers when he was 14. The report also noted that Robinson expressed enjoyment for pornography featuring transgender individuals, and made vulgar comments regarding a celebrity’s abortion and a woman being assaulted by a taxi driver.

CNN reported that Robinson also allegedly lashed out at Martin Luther King Jr., using profane language against the civil rights leader. He purportedly claimed that he wasn’t a member of the KKK because they don’t permit Black individuals to join, and if he were, he would derogatorily refer to King using a racial slur.

Additionally, the report claimed that Robinson referred to himself as a “Black Nazi” and expressed support for a degree of slavery in the U.S., as well as favoring Nazi leader Adolf Hitler over Barack Obama’s presidency.

CNN stated they utilized email addresses and biographical details, including Robinson’s birthdate, wedding date, and military service, to link him to the comments made online. They noted that the account they identified mentioned in 2011 that their mother worked at a historically Black college, which corresponds with Robinson’s mother’s employment at North Carolina A&T State University, an HBCU.

In response to the report, Stein’s campaign issued a statement to YSL News, saying, “Josh is focused on winning this campaign to help build a safer and stronger North Carolina for all.”

When asked for a comment, the Trump campaign did not specifically mention Robinson, instead, national press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated: “President Trump’s campaign is dedicated to winning back the White House and restoring this nation. North Carolina plays a crucial role in that strategy. We believe that when voters compare President Trump’s record of a robust economy, secure borders, and public safety to the Biden-Harris administration’s failures, Trump will once again prevail in North Carolina. We remain focused on our objectives.”

The report drew attention particularly because Robinson, known for his conservative views, has taken a strong stance against abortion and transgender rights in his campaign. Earlier this year, he suggested that individuals should be arrested for using bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

Stein’s campaign had also previously aired an ad depicting Robinson criticizing abortion access.

“Abortion in this nation is not about safeguarding mothers’ lives,” Robinson said in a Facebook Live video from 2019. “It’s about taking a child’s life due to negligence.”

The ad included a clip of Robinson stating in 2020 that he sees “no compromise on abortion” and features remarks from a radio interview where he said he would propose legislation banning abortion “for any reason” if he were to become governor.

In a separate advertisement, Robinson mentioned that his wife had an abortion three decades ago.

Robinson has previously made false claims regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, referring to it as a global conspiracy, and has often used antisemitic language, including Holocaust denial.

Contributors to this article include Rachel Barber, Will Carless, Savannah Kuchar, and David Jackson from YSL News.