Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) said Tuesday that he is still on the fence over voting for Donald Trump but won’t rule out ultimately supporting his party’s presidential nominee.
“Unlike many of my colleagues, I made it clear way back … [when] Donald Trump emerged as the likely nominee that I had serious reservations, serious concerns. I still do. I remain unpersuaded,” Toomey told reporters after a “Women for Toomey” event.
{mosads}”I have been outspoken about these specific concerns that I have, and I’ll continue to speak out when I think it’s appropriate,” Toomey added while standing alongside Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who is not backing Trump.
Toomey’s comments come after The Washington Post published audio of Trump making explicit comments about groping women in 2005. The remarks have split Senate Republicans roughly a month before the election.
GOP Sens. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Rob Portman (Ohio) and John McCain (Ariz.) rescinded their support for Trump, while Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) are sticking by the GOP nominee.
Democrats are pressuring Toomey to pick a side in the growing war between Trump and congressional Republicans, calling Toomey “Fraidy-Pat” for refusing to say whether he’ll eventually support Trump.
Katie McGinty, who is hoping to unseat the GOP senator, said Tuesday that Toomey is still “standing by his man.”
“Sen. Toomey, it is time to man up. And to take Donald Trump for the totally unfit person he is: a person who cannot, will not be President of the United States of America,” she said.
McGinty has repeatedly knocked Toomey since Trump’s remarks were released Friday, echoing a strategy by national Democrats to link GOP candidates to the nominee in the final month of the campaign.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee released an ad Monday featuring Trump’s remarks, as well as comments from Toomey and other GOP senators refusing to rule out ultimately supporting the businessman.
Toomey and McGinty are locked in a tight race that will help determine which party controls the Senate next year.
Republicans are defending 24 seats while Democrats need to net five seats, or four if they retain the White House, to regain a majority in the upper chamber.