Trump Supporters Stand by North Carolina Candidate Despite Controversial Porn Site Posts
PHOTO: JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES
At a rally for Donald Trump in Wilmington, North Carolina, many of his supporters admitted that they are standing by the state’s controversial gubernatorial nominee, Mark Robinson, despite revelations of his posts on a pornographic website. Earlier in the week, CNN reported on Robinson’s troubling comments made on the adult site “Nude Africa,” where he referred to himself as a “Black Nazi,” expressed a desire to own slaves, and described explicit sexual acts, including some involving his sister-in-law.
Despite the uproar, Trump avoided addressing the controversy in his speech. Many attendees at the rally expressed little concern over Robinson’s comments, echoing their steadfast support for Trump, even after his conviction on 34 felony counts in Manhattan, told the Washington Post.
Bob Judson, a 70-year-old rally attendee, shrugged off the reports. “I didn’t put much credence in it. We’ve all done things in our past that we’re sorry for. Some of the things are crazy,” Judson said, adding, “I mean if we just went on that, we wouldn’t be here for Trump, would we?” Connie Wittmer, another Trump supporter, was disturbed after hearing about Robinson’s comments. “That disturbs me,” she admitted, though she remained noncommittal about whether it would impact her vote.
Some rallygoers were more forgiving. Kirk Giles, 50, chalked up Robinson’s behavior to be “a guy thing,” saying, “There’s not a man alive that’s never looked at porn or did something stupid on porn because we’re men. That’s what men do.” Regarding Robinson’s Nazi comments, Giles downplayed them as attention-seeking behavior. “There’s a lot of men that say some stupid stuff on those porn sites. The thing is, you say some stupid stuff just to get attention,” he said.
Not everyone was as understanding. Rich Smith, a 34-year-old Democrat from Wilmington, noted that Trump’s supporters have become immune to scandal. “In this day and age, you’re kind of like, ‘Oh, a terrible news story?’ They’ll just say it’s fake news and move on from there. And nothing will change,” Smith said. The incident underscores how Trump’s loyal base continues to stand by candidates like Robinson, no matter the controversies surrounding them, mirroring their unwavering support for the former president himself.
