Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski asserted that Trump had “forfeited the right to be our party’s nominee” and that she would not vote for him. | Getty 16 Republicans who abandoned Trump after the tape

The "October surprise" that most shook the presidential race was the 2005 Access Hollywood tape on which Donald Trump was caught bragging that he could grope women without consequence because he is a "star."

In the days after The Washington Post published the bombshell recording, Democrats pounced, but so did Republicans, panicked that the revelation would not only further derail Trump's candidacy but jeopardize their congressional majorities too. Dozens denounced the comments caught on tape, but others went further, rescinding endorsements and demanding that he drop out of the race.


Here are 16 of the prominent Republicans who jumped ship after the tape surfaced, most damaging Trump's already-hobbled campaign.

1. Ohio Sen. Rob Portman

Portman, up for reelection in a Midwest battleground critical to Trump’s White House chances, called the comments captured on tape “offensive and wrong,” and he pulled his endorsement and resolved to vote for Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, for president.

2. South Dakota Sen. John Thune

Senate Republicans’ No. 3 was the first member of the party’s leadership to drop the nominee, calling on Trump to pull out of the race and make way for Pence the day after the tape surfaced. (In a twist, shortly after, he said he would still vote for him.)

3. New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte

“He’s talking about assault of women,” said Ayotte, who had previously said she would vote for Trump but said her vote was not an endorsement. “I cannot vote for Donald Trump based on what he has said and done and the actions he talked about in those tapes. And I want my daughter to know that.”

4. Arizona Sen. John McCain

The former GOP standard-bearer, who represents a red state that is competitive at the presidential level this year, had harsh words for the nominee he had tepidly endorsed, saying Trump’s comments “make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy.”

5. Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah

“I’m out,” the House Oversight Committee chairman told a TV station in Utah, which has since become surprisingly competitive. “It is some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine.” (Chaffetz later flipped again, saying he would vote for Trump.)

6. Rep. Mia Love of Utah

Love was yet another Utah Republican to come out against Trump after the tape, offering, “I cannot vote for him” and saying he should leave the race. The defections prompted one Love adviser to predict that independent conservative candidate Evan McMullin would win the state.

7. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert

The governor of the heavily conservative state, who had endorsed Trump, was part of the stampede. Calling Trump’s statements “beyond offensive” and “despicable,” Herbert said he would not vote for Trump or Hillary Clinton.

8. Utah Sen. Mike Lee

The senator, who already had declined to make an endorsement, stepped up his criticism in an impassioned plea after the tape dropped: “Step down,” he implored via Facebook video, compounding the nominee’s problems in Utah.

9. Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo

Crapo also jumped ship after the damaging tape dropped, and while he is up for reelection in a reliably red state, he was also the first incumbent senator to rescind a Trump endorsement in reaction to the tape. He later backtracked.

10. Ohio Gov. John Kasich

Kasich never formally endorsed Trump, but the governor of this swing state and onetime presidential candidate hadn’t ruled out coming around — until the tape, which he said confirmed his concerns. “Nothing that has happened in the last 48 hours is surprising to me or many others,” he said.

11. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez

The chair of the Republican Governors Association declared that she would not support Trump after the tape came out, calling his remarks “appalling and completely unacceptable.” She had been critical of Trump before and held out on endorsing him without ruling it out.

12. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

“Enough! Donald Trump should not be President. He should withdraw,” Rice, who had been quiet about Trump, said on Facebook. “As a Republican, I hope to support someone who has the dignity and stature to run for the highest office in the greatest democracy on earth.”

13. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake

Flake had also kept his distance from Trump before the tape, but he hadn’t joined the “Never Trump” movement, either. Then the tape surfaced, and he tweeted: “[email protected] is wrong about his level of support. He needs to withdraw from the race.”

14. Carly Fiorina

The only woman to run for president in the Republican primary this year, Fiorina called for Trump’s replacement after the tape: “I understand the responsibility of Republicans to support their nominee,” she said. “Our nominee has weighty responsibilities as well. Donald Trump has manifestly failed in these responsibilities.”

15. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski

One of many other Republican women to flee their nominee in the wake of the tape, Murkowski took to Twitter to assert that Trump had “forfeited the right to be our party’s nominee” and that she would not vote for him. (She hadn’t come out to endorse him formally before.)

16. Rep. Martha Roby of Alabama

A representative from a deeply red state, Roby’s defection signaled that it was not just Republicans from purple states, or Utah, looking for an exit. Describing Trump as “unacceptable as a candidate for president,” she called for him to leave the race and vowed not to vote for him.