"He brings you almost the entire Republican platform, all the things we've worked for," King said.

Though he spoke with some national media outlets about Trump Monday, King's comments to the Journal Tuesday were the first with an Iowa reporter since the Access Hollywood tape was leaked Friday.

King's Democratic opponent, Kim Weaver of Sheldon, had pushed King to address Trump's comments.

"(Trump's) vulgar comments about his privilege and the ability to sexually assault women and get away with it because he is a 'star' should surprise no one. What he admitted to doing was criminal. It is not, as he called it, locker room banter. It is sexual assault. Period," Weaver said in a campaign email.

King, who operated a construction firm before becoming a state senator and congressman, used an analogy to answer those who fear more October surprises concerning Trump.

"Some will say, 'Well , other things will come out, so we have to get off now, before something else hits,' " King said. "Well, that's like my dirt crew telling me, 'I'm not going to go out there and move dirt because it might rain.' "