Republicans leave Trump, embrace Pence

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Ohio Sen. Rob Portman rescinded his support for presidential candidate Donald Trump last week, saying that Trump’s recent comments were offensive and wrong.

“I had hoped to support the candidate my party nominated in the primary process. I thought it was appropriate to respect the millions of voters across the country who chose Donald Trump as the Republican Party nominee. While I continue to respect those who still support Donald Trump, I can no longer support him. I continue to believe our country cannot afford a Hillary Clinton presidency,” Portman said in a press statement.

Portman said he will be voting for Mike Pence for President. Pence is the current governor of Indiana and the vice presidential nominee for Trump.

The senator is not the only one who has said they plan to write-in Mike Pence for president. Politico reported Oct. 8 that Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican from New Hampshire, said she won’t be voting for Trump either and will instead write-in Mike Pence for president.

“I’m a mom and an American first, and I cannot and will not support a candidate for president who brags about degrading and assaulting women,” Ayotte said in a press release.

Republicans began rescinding their support of Trump last week after a recording surfaced in which Trump describes how he aggressively seduces women and said that when he is attracted (to beautiful women) he doesn’t wait and just starts “kissing them.”

Trump, who was married at the time he made the statements, went on to say that because he’s a star he can “do anything.”

Pence, who spoke at a vice presidential debate the day after the recording was released, said, “As a husband and father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump in the 11-year-old video released yesterday.”

Ohio Gov. John Kasich told reporters last week that he isn’t surprised by what has surfaced about Trump.

“I’ve also encouraged him to change his behavior for the better and offer a positive, inclusive vision for our country, but he has not. It’s clear that he hasn’t changed and has no interest in doing so. As a result, Donald Trump is a man I cannot and should not support. The actions of the last day are disgusting, but that’s not why I reached this decision, it has been an accumulation of his words and actions that many have been warning about. I will not vote for a nominee who has behaved in a manner that reflects so poorly on our country. Our country deserves better.”

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/10/web1_Governor_Pence_Official_Headshot.jpgIndiana Gov. Mike Pence

Ohio Sen. Rob Portman
http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2016/10/web1_RobPortman-1.jpgOhio Sen. Rob Portman

By Ashley Bunton

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Reach Ashley at the Record-Herald (740) 313-0355 or on Twitter @ashbunton

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