U.S. Rep. Steve King, who represents Iowa's most rural and conservative congressional district, is facing new criticism as the nation debates its political divisions with just days remaining before the Nov. 6 election.

King, a Kiron Republican, was rebuked Tuesday by two Iowa Jewish leaders, disavowed by a prominent national Republican leader and abandoned by the National Republican Congressional Committee. In addition, three major U.S. companies announced they will no longer donate campaign money to King.

The congressman rejected the criticism, blaming "fake news" and "Never Trumpers" for attacking him.

King, an eight-term House member who is being challenged by Democrat J.D. Scholten of Sioux City, has repeatedly drawn criticism for outspoken comments about immigration and multiculturalism, LGTBQ rights, affirmative action, climate change and a host of other issues.

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King and his supporters have contended he's regularly misquoted or quoted out of context, while his critics claim he's racist and bad-mannered. Meanwhile, Scholten has waged a fierce campaign in the district, raising far more money than King and bringing in high-profile surrogates to support him.

► More: Democrat J.D. Scholten bets hustle and grit are keys to upset

'Shocking beyond previous outrage'

In a letter to the Des Moines Register, the presidents of the Adas Israel congregation in Mason City and the Ames Jewish Congregation were critical of King’s statements and a recent meeting with members of a far-right Austrian political party associated with neo-Nazi movements while on a trip funded by a Holocaust memorial nonprofit.

Both of the Jewish congregations are within King’s 4th Congressional District, which covers 39 counties in north-central and northwest Iowa.

“We are writing from the depths of our grief, in horror at the news of the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh,” said Alan Steckman, of Adas Israel, and John Pleasants of the Ames congregation. “We feel we must speak out because our congressional representative, Steve King, is an enthusiastic crusader for the same types of abhorrent beliefs held by the Pittsburgh shooter.”

“King’s regular meetings with the white supremacist group in Austria founded by an SS officer are not new,” the letter said. “But the recent discovery, that King used funds from a Holocaust education organization to meet with a notoriously anti-Semitic propaganda site is shocking beyond any previous outrage.”

The Iowa Jewish leaders asked King’s campaign donors to quit giving him money and for Iowans to condemn the congressman's "long promotion of white supremacist ideology."

"We call on King’s donors to cut off their financial support. Intel and Land O’ Lakes recently took this long overdue step and we expect the same from Berkshire Hathaway, AT&T, and the American Bankers Association," they wrote.

In an unanticipated move Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, disavowed King in a statement on Twitter. Stivers chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm for House Republicans.

"Congressman Steve King’s recent comments, actions, and retweets are completely inappropriate. We must stand up against white supremacy and hate in all forms, and I strongly condemn this behavior," Stivers said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee won’t support King’s candidacy, said Matt Gorman, the organization's communications director.

“We believe Congressman King's words and actions are completely inappropriate, and we strongly condemn them," Gorman told Fox News Tuesday. "We will not play in his race.”

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Businesses cutting King off

Land O'Lakes, one of the nation's leading agricultural and food businesses, said Tuesday its political action committee will stop donating to King's campaign.

The Minnesota-based dairy company had been facing boycott threats on social media because of its campaign contributions to King. Land O'Lakes gave $2,500 to the Republican in 2018.

Land O’Lakes said in a statement that its PAC has traditionally contributed to lawmakers of both parties that represent the communities where its members and employees live and work, and are also on committees that oversee policies that directly impact its farmer-owners.

"We take our civic responsibility seriously, want our contributions to be a positive force for good and also seek to ensure that recipients of our contributions uphold our company’s values. On that basis, we have determined that our PAC will no longer support Rep. Steve King moving forward," Land O'Lakes said.

By Tuesday afternoon, Purina, the pet food company, also said it would make no future contributions to King.

"Representative King’s recent statements are in conflict with our values, and we are no longer contributing to his campaign," it said on social media.

On Sunday, technology corporation Intel said it had sent an internal company email last week declaring it would no longer donate to King's campaign, reports said. The business said it had reviewed King's public remarks and determined they are at odds with Intel's principles.

King tweeted a response to all the criticism on Tuesday that suggested he isn't bigoted and that he is a victim of a conspiracy against President Donald Trump and House Republicans.

"Americans, all created equal by God, with all our races, ethnicities, and national origins-legal immigrants & natural born citizens, together make up the Shining City on the Hill. These attacks are orchestrated by nasty, desperate, and dishonest fake news. Their ultimate goal is to flip the House and impeach Donald Trump. Establishment Never Trumpers are complicit," King tweeted.

King has associated on a number of occasions with right-wing European politicians and gained attention recently for his endorsement of Canadian Faith Goldy, a white nationalist candidate for Toronto mayor.

On Monday, political newsletter author Judd Legum said on Twitter he had been trying to find out why Land O'Lakes had donated money to King. Last week, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean said on Twitter, "Land O Lakes dairy company sent this guy money. We need to let them know decent people don’t appreciate it." Hundreds of people began calling for a boycott of the privately owned Fortune 500 company on social media.

King is considered by most political analysts to be a favorite for re-election, although Scholten contends he is closing the gap with an ambitious campaign in all 39 counties. The Cook Political Report on Tuesday revised its rating on the King-Scholten race from "likely Republican" to "leans Republican." When the campaign began, King was rated as a solid choice for re-election.