Republican Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio) is withdrawing his support for the party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump, he announced Saturday.
{mosads}Portman, who is running for reelection against former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D), said Trump’s lewd comments about women 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,” he said. “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 [Democratic nominee] Hillary Clinton presidency.
“I will be voting for [Indiana Gov.] Mike Pence for President.”
Portman joins a growing list of Republicans who are rescinding their support for Trump or calling for him to drop out of the race in the wake of damning audio from 2005 showing him talking crudely about women.