Donald Trump

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump picked up a key endorsement Wednesday, March 16, 2016, from a second New York House member, Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning. Seven other New York House Republicans have remained neutral. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

(Lynne Sladky / AP)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. Tom Reed on Wednesday became the second Republican congressman from New York to endorse Donald Trump for president, saying it's time for his party to unite behind the GOP front-runner.

Reed, R-Corning, had been under pressure in the past week from Trump supporters and Democrats to decide whether he would support the billionaire businessman from New York City.

Until now, Buffalo-area Rep. Chris Collins, R-Clarence, was the only member of New York's congressional delegation to endorse Trump. Collins was the first member of Congress to publicly back Trump. Reed and the other seven House Republicans from New York had stayed neutral.

But Reed changed his mind after Trump's Super Tuesday victories, including a defeat of Sen. Marco Rubio in his home state of Florida.

"Now is the time to unite behind the candidate who I believe will be our nominee, Donald Trump," Reed said in a statement. "We must move beyond the bombastic rhetoric to positive discussion about creating jobs and improving the lives of all Americans. We all care about improving people's lives -- that should always be our focus."

Buffalo developer Carl Paladino, one of Trump's strongest supporters in New York, had pressured Reed and his New York GOP colleagues to endorse Trump.

Paladino warned in an email to 50,000 supporters Monday that the Republican House members will face consequences if they don't "get on the bus" and endorse Trump before New York's April 19 primary.

"This is our last request that you join 'Trump for President' and try to preserve what's left of your pathetic careers in government," Paladino wrote in an open letter. "Whatever you do, staying neutral is not an option."

Earlier Wednesday, Paladino sent a separate email to supporters with the subject line: "Anyone interested in running in a primary to defeat Elise Stefanik?"

Stefanik, a first-term Republican House member who represents the North County's 21st Congressional District, has said she will support the GOP nominee. But she has not endorsed Trump.



In the email, Paladino wrote that "80 percent of her constituents want Trump, and she gives me the bull that she is too focused on her district to consider endorsing in the presidential primary. She needs to learn what treachery means."

Separately, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington had asked Reed, Stefanik and other New York Republican House members this week to denounce Trump's "reckless rhetoric" on the campaign trail.

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