It’s been a campaign filled with missteps and gaffes by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, but several local lawmakers and party leaders still maintain their support for him.
The latest scandal involves recorded comments Trump made 11 years ago, which are lewd and derogatory to women. The candidate has apologized.
In the immediate aftermath of the comments coming to light, several Republican leaders across the nation distanced themselves from the billionaire business mogul. Not all of the Republican party followed suit, although some voiced support with a caveat.
“I have found Donald Trump’s comments from 11 years ago to be offensive and indefensible,” said U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa. “At the same time, I have also found Hillary Clinton’s actions to be dangerous and deceitful. I will be supporting the Republican ticket this fall and I will be working hard for all of our candidates.”
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., made his comments more about the second debate.
“Sadly, last night’s debate again showed the shortcomings of both presidential candidates. I have not endorsed Donald Trump and I have repeatedly spoken out against his flawed policies, and his outrageous comments, including his indefensible and appalling comments about women,” Toomey said.
He then turned his comments toward his own race for Pennsylvania’s Senate, where he is facing Democratic candidate Katie McGinty. He criticized McGinty for failing to speak out against the questionable actions of Hillary Clinton.
“Katie McGinty has yet to say a single word against Hillary Clinton’s disastrous policies that have endangered our country, her widespread dishonesty, or the corruption of her behavior with the Clinton Foundation,” Toomey said. “Pennsylvania deserves a senator who will cross party lines and provide independent leadership, not a rubber stamp for a very flawed president.”
A little closer to home, Stacy Wallace, the chair of the McKean County GOP, said saying things, and later regretting them, humanizes Trump.
“He apologized and even admitted embarrassment,” she acknowledged. “His remarks would be most likely to influence undecided voters.
“From what I have heard some undecided voters are appalled and will not vote for him yet other undecided voters have determined this was a hidden recording that happened a long time ago.”
Wallace added, “Many voters can relate to the latter. This makes him all the more relatable. Have we not all said things that we would be mortified if it was recorded and played?”
Wallace said she has not heard of any voters who had already decided who they were voting for, changing their minds because of Trump’s comments.
“Most of his supporters are more curious why there are not entire articles on Clinton’s mishaps during office rather than Trump’s mere words before being in office,” Wallace said. “Trump’s sin was talking the way he did.
“His sin was not that he actually walked up and grabbed women. If this was something he actually did — walked up and grabbed women’s genitals, society would have known. Just like we knew about other public figures scandals such as Bill Clinton and Paula Jones or Bill Cosby and Autumn Burns and the list goes on.”
Wallace continued, “That he wanted to lie and pretend he did something so ridiculous is a shame, but in comparing wrongdoings of the candidates, I am reminded of the elementary poem of ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.’ People forgive when they want to. We will just have to see what the voters decide. I know the Pennsylvania GOP has made a decision to continue to support Trump.”
