Disgraced former North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has ended his defamation lawsuit against CNN and ruled out any future runs for elected office, according to Axios.
Robinson’s bid for North Carolina governor ended in November when he lost to now-Gov. Josh Stein by nearly 15 points; it was the biggest landslide in a governor’s race in the state since 1980. Following his defeat, speculation swirled about a potential run for the U.S. Senate in 2026 or chair of the state Republican Party. His announcement puts an end to those rumors and likely came as a relief to state Republicans.
“The fact of the matter is this: the price we have paid in entering the political arena will never be recognized,” Robinson said in a press release Friday. “There is no dollar amount high enough. While it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of North Carolina, the continued political persecution of my family and loved ones is a cost I am unwilling to continue to bear.”
The controversy surrounding Robinson escalated in September when The Assembly, a North Carolina news outlet, published claims from former Greensboro adult store employee Louis Love Money, alleging that Robinson frequented adult video stores in the 1990s and 2000s. Shortly after, CNN reported that Robinson, using the username “minisoldr,” had made inflammatory online remarks, referring to himself as a “Black NAZI” and “perv,” and expressing support for reinstating slavery.
Amid mounting pressure from fellow Republicans to address the allegations, Robinson filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN and Money in October, calling it a “coordinated attack aimed at derailing his campaign for governor.” However, Robinson recently announced he had instructed his legal team to withdraw the lawsuit.
“The words of our Savior, along with the earthly reality that costly litigation and political gamesmanship by my detractors makes clear that continuing to pursue retribution from CNN is a futile effort,” he said.
Robinson also confirmed he will not seek office in the 2026 election cycle or beyond, dismissing speculation that he might challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, whom Robinson has repeatedly criticized, calling him a “spineless toad” and a “RINO” or Republican In Name Only, on several occasions. When asked whether Robinson might pursue the role of GOP state party chair, his former political consultant Matt Hurley responded, “If he’s planning on running for party chair, that’s news to me.”
