Governor Bill Haslam has joined a growing number of Republican politicians calling for Donald Trump to quit campaigningin light of his vulgar comments about women in a video released Friday.
In a statement released today, Haslam said:
In the past I have expressed my concern with Donald Trump’s policy positions. Like many others, I have also objected to many of the things he has said during his campaign. Those concerns have kept me from endorsing him.
I want to emphasize that character in our leaders does matter.
None of us in elected office are perfect, but the decisions that are made in the Oval Office have too many consequences to ignore the behavior we have seen.
It is time for the good of the nation and the Republican Party for Donald Trump to step aside and let Gov. Mike Pence assume the role as the party’s nominee. If he does not step aside, I will write in a Republican for the Office of President.
Finally, I want to urge Republicans to vote. Now more than ever, who we elect to Congress and our state and local offices is critical to the future of this country and state that we love.
On the same day, the Tennessee Democratic Party called on other Tennessee Republicans to speak out about whether they still support Trump.
Tennessee Democratic Party Communications Director Spencer Bower released a statement:
The Tennessee Democratic Party is calling on all State Republican lawmakers and candidates to make clear to the public if they still support Donald Trump. This comes in light of the audio released this week in which he made derogatory and demeaning comments about women.
After the release of tape Friday that caught Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump making comments suggesting his celebrity status allowed him kiss and grope women without permission, many Republicans are distancing themselves from his campaign. US Senator Jason Chaffetz of Utah has pulled his endorsement, Speaker Paul Ryan disinvited him to a joint campaign rally Saturday and Republican Congressman Mike Coffman of Colorado has called for Trump to completely leave the Presidential race.
In Tennessee, Senator Bob Corker, who has accepted a position on Mr. Trump’s security council on the same day the audio was released, has yet to resign that position or take back his endorsement.
Also in that media release, Tennessee Democratic Party chair Mary Mancini called for other Tennessee Republicans to take back their endorsements of Trump.