Controversy surrounding a Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina is causing political unrest in a swing state that Donald Trump must win. The BBC asked conservatives there what they think of the alleged scandal.

They heard the news during a regular meeting of the Johnston County Republican Women’s Committee.

Across North Carolina, Republicans and Democrats alike awaited Thursday what was billed as a shocking revelation about Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.

The furniture maker turned politician who is running to become the state’s first black governor called himself a “black Nazi” on a porn website more than a decade ago, according to a CNN report.

Robinson, who identifies as an evangelical Christian, called the report “tabloid lies.” The BBC has not independently verified CNN’s claims.

But when the news finally broke, it caused little stir, at least not in this polite gathering of women in Johnston County.

“If the allegations are true, it’s something for him and his wife to deal with. It’s not my business. It’s a marriage issue,” said Adele Walker, 52.

Shortly afterward, the group discussed their planned $200 donation to his campaign, in which he is already trailing Democratic candidate Josh Stein, the state’s attorney general.

“We have decided to donate even more money to Mr. Robinson,” she said.

The opinions of conservative women like Walker are being watched closely in this election, not just in North Carolina, but across the U.S. The Tar Heel State has one of the tightest races in the country with the November election looming.

Trump had previously praised Robinson, calling him “Martin Luther King on steroids.”

Even before the CNN exposé was published, Robinson was under close scrutiny.

He drew criticism for his comments in a 2019 Facebook video about abortion on demand, in which he said women should be “responsible enough to keep their skirts down.”

In 2021, he said children should not be taught about “transgenderism, homosexuality and all that nonsense” in schools, later rejecting calls for an apology.

“I think it’s fair at this point to call the Robinson campaign a mess,” said Steven Greene, a political scientist at North Carolina State University.

Some Republicans fear Robinson will become a political nuisance, keeping their voters home or increasing Democratic turnout.

North Carolina has remained “staunchly Republican,” Greene said. Barack Obama was the only Democrat to win the state in 44 years, and he managed it only once, in 2008.

But the state’s growing urban centers have tipped the political balance in favor of Democrats, who hope this is the year they can turn North Carolina blue.

An Emerson College Polling/The Hill poll released Thursday, before CNN’s report on Robinson, showed Harris ahead of Trump by a percentage point.

That’s still well within the margin of error, meaning the race is still very uncertain.

This state is essential for the Republican candidate for the White House, Greene said.

“It’s much harder to see Donald Trump getting to 270 without North Carolina than it is to see Kamala Harris,” he said, referring to the number of electoral votes needed to secure the U.S. presidency.

Scott Lassiter, a Republican running for state Senate, said he was disappointed that Robinson did not withdraw before the state’s deadline on Thursday, allowing another party candidate to take his place.

Lassiter said Robinson is a gift to Democrats, who “would love it if every race on the ballot right now was about Mark Robinson.”

Robinson was reportedly a regular attendee of Trump’s campaign rallies in the state, but he will not attend the former president’s rally in Wilmington on Saturday.

But those close to Robinson continue to support him.

Guilford County Chairman Chris Meadows, a Republican, said he has known Robinson, who is from the area, for years.

“We believe these are unsubstantiated claims and accusations,” he said.

“In the age of AI improvement, I don’t give any credibility to any of this until he admits it.

“CNN has been struggling with major credibility issues for years.”

Greene said the presidential election ultimately depends on voter turnout, and it’s unclear what impact Robinson will have on that.

He was already known for his bizarre statements. People have probably already formed their opinions to a large extent, he said.

In Johnston County it certainly seemed that way.

One Republican voter, who did not want to be named, said he would not vote for Robinson because he said he “had a big mouth.”

But he has no problem voting for Trump.

“I don’t know what Trump knew about Robinson. The news about Robinson has no effect on me,” he said.

Evelyn Costelloe, 66, who has voted Republican in the past but not recently, said she will support Democrats because of their stance on abortion. And Robinson’s comments didn’t help, she said.

“I don’t know everything about these allegations, but I do know what he said. Things like that definitely make me want to vote,” she told the BBC.

Given that Trump won North Carolina by just 75,000 votes in 2020, even a little political damage from Robinson could make a difference.

But for now, North Carolina remains a deep purple color.

North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher chronicles the race for the White House in his weekly newsletter US Election Unspun.

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