North Carolina Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson has vowed to remain in his race despite a CNN media report about comments it says he made on a website.

Nexstar's WNCN also learned Thursday that the lieutenant governor’s office at the state legislative building had been cleared out.

Mr. Robinson, the Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina, vowed to stay in the race and sought to deny the report, which also said he had defended slavery in online posts years ago.