GOP Deserts Trump
A day after a video of Donald Trump bragging about his sexual prowess with women surfaced, a growing number of Republicans are calling on Trump to withdraw from the race.
If you’ve not yet heard the tape, here’s what Donald Trump said to Billy Bush during a taping of Access Hollywood in 2005:
You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful women—I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.…And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.…Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.
Trump’s apology did little to assuage Republicans who were falling all over themselves on Saturday to withdraw their support from his sinking campaign. Trump attempted an apology for his actions, but for many, it was a meaningless gesture.
By Saturday evening, at least nine GOP senators had withdrawn their support. Eighteen members of the House and four GOP governors joined them, and the list is growing. Both the 2008 Republican nominee John McCain, and the 2012 nominee Mitt Romney said they could not support Trump. Romney has never done so, but McCain had endorsed Trump after he became the party’s nominee. Today, he said he’d had enough.
Donald Trump’s behavior this week, concluding with the disclosure of his demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults, make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy.
Even those who had not withdrawn their support were busy creating distance from Trump who has become toxic to the Republican brand.
Here’s a partial list of some of the Republican leaders that have withdrawn their support from Mr. Trump:
- – Sen. John Thune
- – Sen. Kelly Ayotte
- – Sen. Ben Sasse
- – Rep. Jason Chaffetz
- – South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard
- – Nevada Rep. Joe Heck
- – Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo
- – Carly Fiorina
- – Utah Sen. Mike Lee
- – Utah Gov. Gary Herbert
- – Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk
- – West Virginia Sen. Shelly Moore
- – Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake
- – Alabama Rep. Martha Roby
- – Virginia Rep. Barbara Comstock
- – Utah Rep. Mia Love
- – Mitt Romney – 2012 GOP nominee
- – Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
- – Sen. John McCain
Many of those that denounced Trump have called on him to withdraw from the race. Most are giving their support to Gov. Mike Pence to take over the top spot. However, with the election less than a month off, that appears unlikely. Even if Trump were to withdraw, thousands of votes have already been cast and ballots printed. There is no precedent for a candidate to withdraw this close to the election, and the country would be thrown into chaos.
Trump issued a statement that he had no intention of dropping out of the race saying, “I’d never withdraw. I’ve never withdrawn in my life. No, I’m not quitting this race. I have tremendous support.”
Perhaps Mr. Trump believes that he still has “tremendous support,” but he’s in a distinct minority.