College Republican chapters at Harvard and Penn State publicly denounced Trump months ago, while other chapters like those at Hofstra and Texas A&M have avoided endorsing him for fear of losing members. But after the leaked “Access Hollywood” video of Trump was published by The Washington Post on Friday, the Chairwoman of the College Republican National Committee became one of many prominent Republicans to withdraw her endorsement of the GOP nominee.
“The Party of Lincoln is not a locker room, and there is no place for people who think it is,” CRNC Chairwoman Alex Smith tweeted. “Definitely not with her, but not with him.”
Now, more CR chapters are following her lead and denouncing the Republican nominee.
The Executive Board of the Patrick Henry College Republicans decided earlier this year to avoid involvement in the presidential race due to Trump’s previous comments about women, immigrants, refugees, and Muslims, but on Sunday, the group said “we can no longer quietly disapprove.”
“We withdraw any implicit support that existed for Donald Trump and call on him to step down from the Republican ticket,” the group said in a statement. “We hope that others who hold to the same convictions as we do will join us in seeking a new Republican nominee that we can all proudly support.”
The University of Virginia College Republicans endorsed Trump last month in a 67-63 vote, but the group is now reevaluating that decision.
“We are deeply ashamed of the words and actions of our presidential candidate,” President Joanna Ro said in a statement to the Cavalier Daily. “Fifty percent of our board, including our chairman, are women, and Mr. Trump’s crudeness in no way represents the ideals or values of the Republican Party. Though we may endorse him, we will not make excuses for such disturbing disrespect of any group or individual.”
The Princeton College Republicans have decided to maintain their neutral position, after some deliberation among group officers. In a previously released statement, the group said individual voters should determine for themselves whether candidates are worthy of their vote.
The Yale College Republicans, who formally endorsed Trump in August, have said they will continue to stand by the GOP nominee. However, the Yale Daily News reported that continued support for Trump was not unanimous and several members have left the group to form the “Yale New Republicans,” a new group that does not support Trump.
“YCR’s only real defense of Trump has been that he is a Republican and that they are obligated to support Republicans up and down the ballot,” Benjamin Rasmussen, one of the students who left the Yale CRs, told the Daily News.
