After the release of a controversial video of Donald Trump commenting on women and sexual assault, the University chapter of College Republicans voted to revoke its endorsement of the Republican nominee.
The organization held a voting period between Saturday night and 12 p.m. Monday for its members on whether to withdraw or continue with its endorsement of the nominee. The vote was 64-54.
“We would like to be very clear that we are not discouraging anyone from voting for Trump,” College Republicans Chairman Joanna Ro, a fourth-year College student, said in the statement announcing the decision. “Despite our decision, he may still very well be the better candidate when placed on a ballot with Hillary Clinton. The only message we wish to convey is that as a club, as the primary Republican organization on Grounds, we do not feel Donald Trump accurately represents the way we view and conduct ourselves.”
The organization originally voted 67-63 to endorse Trump in September.
The University Democrats lauded the organization’s decision in a statement to The Cavalier Daily.
“From the moment Donald Trump announced his campaign, he has routinely displayed racism, sexism, and xenophobia,” the statement read. “While the tape released last week is certainly abhorrent and disqualifying, it should not have been shocking to anyone.”
However, the organization maintained the College Republicans should not have endorsed Trump in the first place.
“The decision of College Republicans to endorse him at the beginning of the semester was reckless, offensive, and wrong,” the University Democrats’ statement read. “That being said, we are glad that today they decided to stand on the right side of history and revoke their endorsement of Mr. Trump. While they should have taken that stance at the beginning of the semester, we congratulate them on getting it right this time.”