Republicans nationally and locally are distancing themselves from N.C. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and moving to contain the fallout after last week's explosive CNN report detailed shocking and embarrassing allegations about the state's Republican gubernatorial candidate.

Why it matters: The report was an immediate blow to a candidate already trailing his Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Josh Stein, in the polls — some of them by double digits. Earlier polls showed a tight race.

Zoom in: The CNN report revealed Robinson called himself a "black NAZI!" and a "perv" on pornographic message boards, expressed support for reinstating slavery, and said he enjoyed watching transgender pornography. Robinson denies the allegations.

The latest: Although Robinson has been working to refocus his campaign onto issues at the top of the minds of many voters, such as the economy, many Republicans fear Robinson's chance to pivot has already evaporated.

• They're moving to protect other candidates from being dragged down by association, Axios reported in collaboration with The Assembly, a statewide magazine.

Zoom out: Even before the CNN story, Robinson faced a litany of political liabilities he was trying to overcome.

• These include old social media posts and statements that included calling the Holocaust "hogwash," likening gay and transgender people to "filth," past bankruptcies, inspection violations at a child care center he and his wife ran, and state investigations into his wife's nonprofit.
• "Never have we seen one of the major political parties put up such a flawed candidate in North Carolina, and probably few places else in America for that matter," said Rob Christensen, a former political reporter for The News & Observer who covered North Carolina for more than four decades and has written two books on the state's politics.

State of play: The endless controversies have hindered Robinson from connecting with moderate voters in the state.

• Parker Wilson, 40, who works at a software firm in Charlotte and was previously registered as a Republican, said Robinson's rhetoric is turning away voters, especially women.
• "It really speaks to the impact of rhetoric," she said. "A lot of my friends that were originally voting a very good Republican ticket are really evaluating the implications of that."

Read the full story on The Assembly

For more than a decade, North Carolina has been plagued by a stream of jaw-dropping political scandals unrivaled by virtually any other state in the country.

Why it matters: Even in an era of sex scandals, real and imagined ballot fraud and fierce partisan feuds, North Carolinians couldn't script a more outlandish news cycle than the one delivered recently by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Trump-backed GOP nominee for governor.

The big picture: North Carolina's modern streak of political sex scandals began with former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), the 2008 presidential candidate who impregnated his mistress — then tried to cover it up.

• In 2011, Edwards was indicted for allegedly using campaign funds to conceal the affair, but he eventually walked free after a mistrial.
• In 2020, Democrat Cal Cunningham narrowly lost his race for a U.S. Senate seat after admitting to an affair in the final weeks before the election — potentially costing Democrats a larger majority and downsizing President Biden's ambitious agenda.
• In 2022, former Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) lost his primary after infuriating his GOP colleagues by making wild claims about cocaine-fueled orgies and "sexual perversion" in Congress.

Yes, but: It's not just sex scandals that have vaulted North Carolina politicians into the national spotlight over the last few years.

• In 2018, the election results for the House seat in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District were thrown out after Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr., a political operative working for Republican Mark Harris, was indicted for absentee ballot fraud.

Go deeper

🌀 A storm forming in the Caribbean could bring rain and wind to central and western North Carolina later this week. (WRAL)

🚛 Workers at an Amazon distribution center in Garner say they're getting closer to a union election after more than 2.5 years of organizing. (News & Observer 🔒)

Brook Cheuvront, a 20-year-old UNC-Chapel Hill student who went missing while on a hike on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, has died. (AP)

🗳️ Former President Trump will campaign in Mint Hill, a suburb of Charlotte, on Wednesday. (WBTV)

Beloved author Nicholas Sparks' new book "Counting Miracles" comes out today. It's set in Asheboro, about a 90-minute drive from Charlotte and Raleigh.

Here are a few ways to explore Asheboro like the characters in the book.

Head to the zoo

Tanner Hughes, one of the main characters in "Counting Miracles," visits the North Carolina Zoo.

If you go: The state-owned zoo is at 4401 Zoo Pkwy. Hours vary by season. General admission is $15 for adults and $11 for children ages 2-12. Children under age 2 get in free.

Go for a hike

Uwharrie National Forest is a central part of the story.

If you go: Check out Pisgah Covered Bridge at 6900 Pisgah Covered Bridge Rd., Asheboro. You'll find a 0.25-mile hike here.

Check out Birkhead Mountains Wilderness for a moderate or strenuous hike. You can access 15 miles of trails at these trailheads:

• Thornburg: 3977 Lassiter Mill Rd., Asheboro
• Tot Hill Farm: 3091 Tot Hill Farm Rd., Asheboro

Head downtown

Explore Asheboro's downtown, including Four Saints Brewing Company (218 S Fayetteville St., Asheboro) and Antiques & Geeks (227 Sunset Ave.).

• Fun fact: From Thursday to Saturday, Asheboro is a social district.

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Hello from the Twin Cities!

🤝 We're in Minneapolis for a few days to spend some time with our coworkers, learn and eat good food.

• We landed yesterday, and Lucille's phone has already died twice and Zachery has discovered he loves Insomina's blueberry cookies.

🫣 Think North Carolina can go without making national news while we're gone?