JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said Donald Trump's remarks about women are unacceptable but stopped short of withdrawing support for the GOP presidential nominee's White House bid.
In a statement Saturday, Bryant said Trump's comments "do not square with the man I have gotten to know the past few months. He has done the right thing and apologized."
Trump was captured making controversial remarks on outtakes from an "Access Hollywood" interview leaked Friday to The Washington Post. He is heard describing attempts to have sex with a married woman. He also brags about women letting him kiss them and grab their genitals because he is famous.
In a video, Trump apologized saying he was wrong and had said foolish things, but words and actions aren't the same thing. He called the comments a distraction and pointed to the behavior of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said Saturday on Twitter that Trump's remarks about women are "reprehensible and outside the bounds of decency."
Reeves said he hopes Trump's apology is sincere.
Treasurer Lynn Fitch, who's also a Republican, chastised both Trump and Clinton.
"Comments made by both candidates this election cycle cheapen this noble republic," she said in a statement posted to Facebook.
Fitch said women deserve respect. "Those who put themselves in the public eye must demonstrate respect for women in everything they do."
Despite Trump's crude comments, Fitch said she plans to support his nomination.
"Conservative principles of smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and personal freedom offer the right policy prescriptions for what ails America's economy and for the threats to our national security from abroad. I will be voting for those conservative principles in November," she said.
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