Romney: Trump’s comments have hurt GOP

by Elliot Smilowitz - 07/04/15 1:22 PM ET

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Saturday said Donald Trump’s comments on immigration have hurt the GOP.

Speaking at a Fourth of July parade in Wolfeboro, N.H., Romney was asked whether Trump’s statements about Mexico have hurt the party’s cause. He replied “Yes,” according to CNN.

“I think he made a severe error in saying what he did about Mexican-Americans,” the 2012 nominee said.

{mosads}Romney noted that several of Trump’s competitors in the 2016 GOP race have denounced his comments.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday called the remarks “inappropriate” and said they had no place in the GOP race for the White House.

Christie followed Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who called Trump’s comments “wrong” on Thursday.

“I don’t think he’s reflecting the Republican Party with his statements about Mexicans,” Perry told Fox News. “I think that was a huge error on his part and, number one, it’s wrong.”

Former New York Gov. George Pataki has sharply denounced Trump’s statements and called on other GOP presidential candidates to do so as well.

Trump for two weeks has been engulfed in controversy over comments he made about Mexico at his presidential launch from Trump Tower in New York City.

“They’re sending people who have a lot of problems,” he said of the country.

“They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists,” Trump added. “And some, I assume, are good people.”

NBC and Macy’s both cited the comments in breaking with Trump. Hispanic activists have also ripped Trump over the remarks, and celebrities such as “Ugly Betty” star America Ferrera have criticized him while arguing that Trump will help elect a Democratic president in 2016.

Romney was joined at the Wolfeboro parade by Christie and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Romney told reporters he doesn’t intend to endorse any candidate this early in the race.

“A lot of these folks helped me during my campaign. I’m going to be as loyal to them as they were to me,” he told CNN.

Tags Donald Trump Mitt Romney