Sen. Lindsey Graham says embattled GOP candidate Mark Robinson must defend himself

Sen. Lindsey Graham told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday that North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson “has an obligation to defend himself” following reports last week that Robinson made lewd posts on a pornographic website over a decade ago.

“The charges are beyond unnerving,” said Graham, a South Carolina Republican, referring to a CNN report Thursday that said Robinson made posts on a porn site referring to himself as a “black NAZI,” arguing for reinstating slavery and describing sexual acts. Robinson has denied the report, calling it “tabloid trash” and vowing to stay in the race.

“If they’re true, he’s unfit to serve for office,” Graham said. “If they’re not true, he has the best lawsuit in the history of the country for libel.”

“If I were him, I would hire me the best lawyer I could find. I’d sue the hell out of CNN,” Graham added, also saying that Robinson “has an obligation to defend himself” because “this is hanging over his campaign.”

A spokesperson for CNN didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

During an interview with CNN on Sunday, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democrat running for governor against Robinson, blasted former President Donald Trump and the lieutenant governor, saying that “Robinson exists because Donald Trump has lifted him up.”

“Mark Robinson could not exist without the support of Donald Trump,” Stein said, adding that candidates up and down the ballot should be held responsible for supporting his campaign.

Graham added on “Meet the Press” Sunday that the story, though controversial, won’t affect Trump’s chances of carrying North Carolina in the Electoral College, even though he and Robinson will be on the same ballot.

Graham pointed to the 2016 and 2020 elections, where both times Trump carried the Tar Heel State but Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper also won his races.

“Trump won when the [GOP] governor candidate lost in 2016 and 2020,” Graham said.

The senator also spoke about his visit to Nebraska earlier this week, where he met with Republican Gov. Jim Pillen and roughly two dozen Republican members of Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature about overhauling the state’s law to allow winner-take-all Electoral College votes in the state this year.

Currently, Nebraska splits its three Electoral College votes by congressional district, with the Republican nominee usually taking two votes and the Democratic nominee taking one. Maine is the only other state in the nation to participate in the Electoral College this way.

“To my friends in Nebraska,” Graham said on Sunday, “that one electoral vote could be the difference between [Vice President Kamala] Harris being president or not, and she’s a disaster for Nebraska and the world.”

He added, “The entire federal delegation of Nebraska — House members and two senators — want this change.”

Supporters of the change have said they do not yet have enough backing to pass a bill. Graham estimated that there is a “50-50” chance that the law will change before Election Day.

On Thursday, Nebraska GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts told NBC News that 48 states have a winner-take-all electoral vote system and Nebraska should too.

“We’re disenfranchising our rural voters by not having it,” he added.

Ricketts also told NBC News that Graham is a “great spokesperson” for the movement that wants Nebraska to modify its Electoral College votes, adding, “He’s very savvy about why we need to make sure that all of our voters have an opportunity to have their voices heard and what the other states are doing.”