Republican Senate candidate Joe Heck, who is leading a tight race to succeed Harry Reid in Nevada, said Saturday he was rescinding his support for Donald Trump.
Heck, a House member from Nevada, said in a statement that he believes the “only option” is “to formally ask Mr. Trump to step down and allow Republicans the opportunity to elect someone who will provide us with the strong leadership so desperately needed and one that Americans deserve.
{mosads}“I can no longer look past this pattern of behavior and inappropriate comments from Donald Trump. Therefore, I cannot, in good conscience, continue to support him nor can I vote for Hillary Clinton,” he said.
“My wife, my daughters, my mother, my sister and all women deserve better. The American people deserve better.”
Heck is just the latest Republican to distance himself from Trump after 2005 audio of the GOP presidential nominee was released in which he can be heard making lewd remarks about women. Women also talks about groping women in the audiotape.
At a campaign rally for Heck, 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney reiterated his disgust with Trump’s remarks.
“I was offended and dismayed by what was said and done by Mr. Trump. I think it’s degrading to our women, to our daughters, our granddaughters, to future generations,” Romney said, with Heck standing nearby.
“I dearly hope we will come together as a nation and stand as firmly as we possibly can for the principles that have made us the shining city on the hill.”
Heck has been leading Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto in the race to win retiring Senate Majority Leader Reid’s seat.
“What you’re seeing now is not leadership, it’s Joe Heck trying to save his career, but Joe Heck’s made clear that he’s with Donald Trump,” she said in a statement.
Trump has been running a competitive race in Nevada against Democrat Hillary Clinton.