Michelle Rindels

Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — Nevada Reps. Joe Heck and Cresent Hardy announced Saturday they're rescinding their endorsements of Donald Trump, a day after lewd comments from their party's presidential nominee came to light and while they both face tough campaigns.

Heck and Hardy are the latest in a string of elected Republicans to abandon Trump in light of vulgar comments that were recorded while Trump spoke to the then-host of "Access Hollywood" in 2005. Trump said he apologized if anyone was offended by the "locker-room banter," but the revelations were apparently the last straw for the two candidates who had previously held their ground on endorsing him.

"I can no longer look past the pattern of behavior and comments that have been made by Donald Trump," Heck said at a rally in a Las Vegas strip mall parking lot that also featured former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. "I cannot in good conscience continue to support Donald Trump, nor can I vote for Hillary Clinton."

Here is the list of Republicans who are not supporting Trump

Ralston Reports: Dumping Trump is political calculus, not moral outrage

Heck had long stood by the nominee, saying recently that he trusted Trump with the nation's nuclear codes. His reversal was met by cheers from a crowd of largely millennial volunteers who were preparing to knock doors on his behalf, but also howls of disapproval from some attendees who called him a traitor and shouted that they were disappointed with him.

"I believe our only option is to formally ask Mr. Trump to stand down and to allow Republicans the opportunity to elect someone who will provide us with the strong leadership so desperately needed and one that Americans deserve," said Heck, a doctor and brigadier general in the Army Reserves who has a slim lead in the race in almost all recent polls. "Today I stand here disappointed in our choices for president, but more committed than ever to bringing the same code of honor, decency and respect to the U.S. Senate."

Hardy, who's in a tough race for re-election in a Democratic-leaning district, also dumped Trump in a speech on Saturday after expressing support for him for months. He said in August he was "100 percent" behind Trump and would do whatever it takes to get him elected.

"I've said all along I would, but I will no longer support him," Hardy said. "Because I think that when we degrade that mother, wife, housewife, whatever you want to deal with, daughter — that you degrade America."

But he also reminded attendees of his distrust of Hillary Clinton.

"That lady has no integrity. We must always remember that," he said.

Heck is in a competitive race for the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Harry Reid, and the outcome could decide which party takes the majority in the Senate. His Democratic opponent, former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, criticized Trump's actions.

"It just clearly shows who he is," Cortez Masto said on Trump. "This is a conversation that he thought was in private, and it indicated to me what we all thought all along for the last nine months: that Donald Trump is a misogynist. He's got a campaign based on racism and discrimination, and he uses divisive rhetoric that we don't need. This is somebody who wants to be president of the United States."

Cortez Masto also signaled the un-endorsement from Heck was not enough.

"For 9 months Joe Heck has been Donald Trump's strongest supporter in Nevada as Trump has demeaned and disrespected women, made racists comments towards Latinos and showed himself completely unfit to be president," she said in a statement. "What you're seeing now is not leadership, it's Joe Heck trying to save his career, but Joe Heck's made clear that he's with Donald Trump."

Republican Sen. Dean Heller, who's long expressed doubts about Trump, said he supported Heck and Hardy's comments and thinks Heck can still win if the un-endorsement angers the base.

"Of course Heck can win this race and he's going to win this race," Heller said. "What those videos and tapes had to say was reprehensible and I don't think Dr. Heck had a choice, and I don't think Cresent Hardy had a choice. I know it makes some people uncomfortable, but it's the right position to take."

Other elected Nevada Republicans who said Saturday that they don't support Trump are Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison and Gov. Brian Sandoval, who said Trump's behavior pattern was "repulsive and unacceptable."

Democratic congressional candidate Chip Evans, running against U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., who is also the Nevada state chairman for Trump's campaign, said Trump is "unfit to be a leader of any of those groups, especially for women." For Heck and Hardy, Evans said he wants "to hold them to account."

"While I appreciate this might be an escape moment for them, the truth is they didn’t show the political courage or character to simply label this as inappropriate, and he’s unqualified and not fit to be president of the United States," Evans said. "It seems like they should’ve been exercising that judgment earlier, and it’s really about judgment."

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, visited Northern Nevada Saturday to campaign for Clinton. In response to Trump's lewd comments, Richards said Trump is "thoroughly unqualified to be president of the United States" and she fears "for the future of women's access to healthcare point blank if Donald Trump and Mike Pence were elected."

"One, it's too late," Richards said about Heck and Hardy rescinding their endorsements. "I hope what this means that Donald Trump will not be elected president of the United States because we need a president that cares about the people in this country, that cares about average working people and not just the one percent and someone who is willing to work across party lines."

Amodei and a spokeswoman from the Republican National Committee did not respond to requests for comment.

Sarah Litz of the RGJ contributed to this report.

ORIGINAL UPDATES:

1:48 p.m. update:

Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Catherine Cortez Masto weighed in on the leaked videos of Trump and Heck's response.

"It just clearly shows who he is," Cortez Masto said about Trump. "This is a conversation that he thought was in private, and it indicated to me what we all thought all along for the last nine months: that Donald Trump is a misogynist. He's got a campaign based on racism and discrimination, and he uses divisive rhetoric that we don't need. This is somebody who wants to be president of the United States."

Cortez Masto criticized her opponent, who came out in support of Trump up until Saturday morning.

"Clearly it shows no leadership on his part," Cortez Masto said of Heck. "He has followed (Trump) and supported (Trump) for the last nine months. This is a desperate attempt for him to save his political career."



1:17 p.m. update:

EMILY'S List President Stephanie Schriock released a statement Saturday after Nevada Rep. Joe Heck withdrew his support of Donald Trump:

"This cowardly, desperate political maneuver changes nothing. Joe Heck stood by Donald Trump as he called women 'dogs' and 'pigs,' called Mexicans 'rapists,' made sexually suggestive comments about a 12-year-old, and suggested that women who have abortions should be punished. Heck said he trusts Donald Trump, whose rhetoric has been unhinged from day one of his campaign, with the nuclear codes. Heck cares about winning this race - not about the people of Nevada. A Washington politician through and through, Heck is out of touch with Nevada values and voters - and they will not vote for him in November."

EMILY'S List is a group whose mission is to "elect pro-choice Democratic women to office."

Tic Tac USA, the maker of Tic Tac mints - which Trump referred to in the 2005 video - tweeted that the company "respects all women" and that Trump's conduct is "completely inappropriate and unacceptable."

Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon that he intends to stay in the presidential race.

11:33 a.m. update:

Gov. Brian Sandoval is the latest Nevada Republican to distance himself from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, Jon Ralston reports on Twitter.

11:20 a.m. update:

Republican Assembly District 25 candidate Jill Tolles tweeted Saturday that she is not supporting Donald Trump.

Original post:

LAS VEGAS — Nevada Republican Reps. Joe Heck and Cresent Hardy say they're rescinding their endorsements of Donald Trump, a day after lewd comments from their party's presidential nominee came to light.

Heck said at a rally Saturday in Las Vegas that he can no longer look past Trump's pattern of behavior and comments, but also can't vote for Hillary Clinton.

"I believe any candidate for President of the United States should campaign with common ethical and moral values and decency. I accept that none of us are perfect," Heck said Saturday. "However, I can no longer look past this pattern of behavior and inappropriate comments from Donald Trump. Therefore, I cannot, in good conscience, continue to support him nor can I vote for Hillary Clinton."

The two are the latest in a string of elected Republicans to abandon Trump in light of vulgar comments were recorded while Trump spoke to the then-host of "Access Hollywood" in 2005. Trump said he apologized if anyone was offended.

Heck is in a competitive race for the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Harry Reid. Hardy is in a tough race for re-election in a Democratic-leaning district.

FULL STATEMENT BY REP. JOE HECK ON DONALD TRUMP:

“I’ve spent much of my life serving in the military where I stood beside some of the bravest men and women this country has to offer -- willing to put themselves in harm's way to protect the freedoms upon which this country was founded. They live by a code of honor, of decency and of respect.

“As a husband and a father, I strive to bring that same code of honor into my personal life.

“I believe any candidate for President of the United States should campaign with common ethical and moral values and decency. I accept that none of us are perfect. However, I can no longer look past this pattern of behavior and inappropriate comments from Donald Trump. Therefore, I cannot, in good conscience, continue to support him nor can I vote for Hillary Clinton.

“My wife, my daughters, my mother, my sister and all women deserve better. The American people deserve better.

“Our campaign will move forward, and continue to be based on the core principles of the Republican Party, the need for conservative leadership and the requirement that all people be treated with respect and dignity.

“My hope is that this will not divide us and that we can unite behind Republican principles. We deserve a candidate who can ask him or herself at the end of the day, 'Did I live my life with honor and do I deserve to be elected president of the United States.'

“I believe our only option is to formally ask Mr. Trump to step down and allow Republicans the opportunity to elect someone who will provide us with the strong leadership so desperately needed and one that Americans deserve.

“Today, I stand here disappointed in our choices for president but more committed than ever to bringing that same code of honor, decency and respect to the United States Senate.”