Which Republicans condemned Donald Trump but won't withdraw their endorsements?
Since the video of Donald Trump’s lewd comments from 2005 surfaced Friday evening, a number of Republican members of Congress have lashed out at the GOP presidential nominee, with some even calling for him to drop out of the presidential race.
CBS News is compiling a list of Republicans who endorsed Trump, condemned his latest comments, but haven’t officially rescinded their support.
Senate
Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky): The Senate Majority Leader condemned Trump’s comments, but didn’t rescind his support. Statement: “These comments are repugnant, and unacceptable in any circumstance. As the father of three daughters, I strongly believe that Trump needs to apologize directly to women and girls everywhere, and take full responsibility for the utter lack of respect for women shown in his comments on that tape.”
John Cornyn (R-Texas): The Senate Majority Whip condemned Trump’s comments, but didn’t withdraw support. Tweet: “I am disgusted by Mr Trump’s words about women: our daughters, sisters and mothers.”
Orrin Hatch (R-Utah): The president pro tempore of the Senate condemned Trump’s comments, but didn’t withdraw support. Statement: “Mr. Trump’s comments were offensive and disgusting. There is no excuse for such degrading behavior. All women deserve to be treated with respect.”
Ted Cruz (R-Texas): Cruz condemned Trump, but didn’t withdraw support. The former Trump rival recently endorsed the GOP presidential nominee. Tweet: “These comments are disturbing and inappropriate, there is simply no excuse for them.”
Marco Rubio (R-Florida): Rubio condemned Trump’s comments, but didn’t withdraw his support. Tweet: “Donald’s comments were vulgar, egregious & impossible to justify. No one should ever talk about any woman in those terms, even in private.”
Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania): Toomey, who’s in a tight reelection race, condemned Trump, but didn’t withdraw support. Tweet: “Donald Trump’s comments were outrageous and unacceptable.”
Richard Burr (R-North Carolina): Burr, who’s up for reelection, condemned Trump’s comments, but didn’t withdraw support. Statement: “I am going to watch his level of contrition over the next few days to determine my level of support.”
Dan Coats (R-Indiana): The retiring senator condemned Trump but didn’t withdraw support. Tweet: “Donald Trump’s vulgar comments are totally inappropriate and disgusting, and these words have no place in our society.”
Joni Ernst (R-Iowa): Ernst condemned Trump’s comments, but has not withdrawn her support for him. She tweeted: “The comments DJT made are lewd & insulting. There is no excuse, and no room for such reprehensible and objectifying talk about anyone, ever.”
John Boozman (R-Arkansas): Boozman said Trump’s comments are further proof that the presidential race is a “race to the bottom of humanity,” but did not withdraw his support. Statement: “As a husband, father of 3 daughters, and grandfather of two precious little girls, if I ever heard anyone speak this way about them, they would be shopping for a new set of teeth.”
House
Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin): The House speaker said in a statement that he was “sickened” by Trump’s comments, but isn’t withdrawing his support. He endorsed Trump in June. Statement: “I am sickened by what I heard today. Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests. In the meantime, he is no longer attending tomorrow’s event in Wisconsin.”
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, House GOP Conference Chair (R-Washington): McMorris Rodgers condemned Trump’s comments, but has not withdrawn her support: “It is never appropriate to condone unwanted sexual advances or violence against women…Mr. Trump must realize that it has no place in public or private conversations.”
Susan Brooks (R-Indiana): Brooks condemned Trump’s comments and while she has been critical of Trump previously, she has not officially withdrawn her support. STATEMENT: “Donald Trump’s words and the actions he described are reprehensible and disrespectful, and I am personally disgusted by this behavior…This is nowhere near the conduct Americans should expect from someone seeking the office of President.”
National figures
Bob Dole (1996 Republican nominee; former Kansas senator): Dole criticized Trump’s comments, but did not take back his support for the GOP nominee. STATEMENT, via the Wall Street Journal: “It was 11 years ago. He shouldn’t have said it, but there’s nothing he can do about it except to do well in the debate. I think he can overcome a lot of this in the debate tomorrow night.”
***Sens. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), were originally on this list but have since withdrawn their support for Trump.
