Jackie Toledo, the Republican nominee in House District 60, released a statement Saturday afternoon, calling the incredibly lewd comments made by Donald Trump in 2005 that surfaced in a video Friday “unacceptable.”
“The vulgar remarks of Donald Trump are unacceptable and have no place in our country,” Toledo said. “They are the absolute opposite of how I’ve raised my sons to treat women and how I expect boys to treat my daughters.
“While our presidential candidates continue to disappoint, it is more important than ever to have leaders who elevate our political discourse and focus on solutions to the real issues that face our communities. That’s been my reason for running from day one, and it will continue to be my focus in Tallahassee.
“I ask everyone to put partisanship aside and join me today in praying for his wife and daughters as well as for our country.”
Toledo has endorsed Trump for president, and her Democratic opponent in the HD 60 race – attorney David Singer, had called for Toledo to renounce Trump’s candidacy, saying, “If she won’t reject Donald Trump’s candidacy after this, she should tell us what it would take.”
Toledo did not do that.
Around Florida on Saturday, Democrats running in competitive elections have attempted to put their Republican opponents who have endorsed Trump on the spot, calling on them to take back their endorsement of the GOP 2016 standard-bearer.
Here is Singer’s statement issued earlier on Saturday:
“As a husband and the father of two young daughters, I am horrified at Donald Trump’s comments. What he described as his normal behavior with women is criminal sexual assault, plain and simple.
“Anyone who seeks public office should immediately condemn him and call for him to drop out of this race as he is unfit to serve. This is not an issue of left versus right. This is an issue of right versus wrong. This does not reflect the values of our community. I am joining Democrats, Independents and Republicans across the country who are calling on him to leave this race. I hope that Jackie Toledo would immediately disavow him as well and join with us in opposing his candidacy. At the very least, I would hope that she will finally state that she will not vote for him. If she won’t reject Donald Trump’s candidacy after this, she should tell us what it would take,” he said.
