if there was ever a moment for pat toomey to declare, once and for all, he wouldn<u+2019>t vote for donald trump, tuesday morning was it. | getty by kevin robillard 10/11/16 04:02 pm edt updated 10/11/16 03:54 pm edt villanova, pa. <u+2014> gop sen. pat toomey is an undecided voter. the first-term republican made the declaration tuesday morning at a "women for toomey" event in suburban philadelphia, where he was pressed to say whether or not he would vote for donald trump in november. the latest trump-related conflagration to hit the 2016 election <u+2014> backlash over the 2005 tape of trump describing unwanted advances toward and sexual assault of women <u+2014> could hardly come at a worse time for toomey, who is trying to keep enough voters in his corner to win reelection even as many reject trump in his state. story continued below if there was ever a moment for toomey to declare, once and for all, he wouldn<u+2019>t vote for trump, tuesday morning was it. toomey has nodded toward trump in the past, once criticizing democratic opponent katie mcginty as someone who would be "a complete obstacle to a president trump, should he win." but on this day, he was in delaware county, home to many of the suburban college-educated women trump has driven away from the republican party in droves this year, according to numerous polls. toomey stood next to maine sen. susan collins, who has said she won<u+2019>t vote for trump, days after trump dismissed his taped comments as <u+201c>locker room talk.<u+201d> but while toomey, who is facing a stiff challenge from mcginty, was willing to condemn both trump and hillary clinton, he only ruled out voting for the democrat, declining to definitively say whether or not he would vote for trump in november. <u+201c>i am not endorsing him and i remain unpersuaded,<u+201d> toomey told reporters, reiterating the position he<u+2019>s held since may. by nolan d. mccaskill <u+201c>i think we have two badly flawed candidates,<u+201d> toomey said, adding later: <u+201c>i could never vote for hillary clinton.<u+201d> an hour later in downtown philadelphia, mcginty stood with a small army of philadelphia-area elected female democrats to condemn toomey for not standing up to trump. in polls, clinton has opened up a sizable lead on trump in the state, but mcginty and toomey are still neck-and-neck, with toomey often outperforming the top of his ticket by large margins. "sen. toomey says, 'send me to washington and i'll stand up to donald trump,'" mcginty said. "how about standing up to him right here in pennsylvania?" toomey's stance <u+2014> neither endorsing nor breaking with the presidential nominee <u+2014> illustrates the tough situation down-ballot republicans have found themselves in throughout this election, which has peaked in the days since the release of the 2005 tape. break with trump, and anger the millions of voters who picked him in the republican primary and still support him. endorse trump, and alienate the swing voters, particularly women, who find his behavior appalling, boorish and unacceptable. over the long columbus day weekend, three other republican senate candidates <u+2014> new hampshire sen. kelly ayotte, arizona sen. john mccain and nevada rep. joe heck <u+2014> all officially declared they would couldn<u+2019>t cast a vote for trump in november. all three saw their declarations met with blowback from their own party. <u+201c>unlike many of my colleagues, way back in may, when donald trump became our nominee, i made it clear i had serious concerns. i still do,<u+201d> toomey said at the start of his three-and-a-half-minute long conversation with reporters. <u+201c>i remain unpersuaded.<u+201d> in the may op-ed from the philadelphia inquirer, toomey wrote he was <u+201c>inclined to support the nominee,<u+201d> but noted his differences with trump could become <u+201c>irreconcilable.<u+201d> he specifically pointed to trump<u+2019>s <u+201c>appalling<u+201d> <u+201c>vulgarity<u+201d> toward women. but when asked if the trump tape was disqualifying, toomey didn<u+2019>t bite. by brent griffiths <u+201c>i think i answered the question,<u+201d> he told reporters as he walked away. toomey, with help from collins, pushed to change the subject of the "women for toomey" event to his own independence and mcginty's partisanship. the duo talked extensively about toomey's support for the failed manchin-toomey gun background check proposal. "he never puts partisanship ahead of accomplishment," collins said. "his effort was the closest the senate has ever come to enacting sensible gun legislation." toomey unleashed his standard attacks on mcginty, saying she supported increasing taxes while working in the white house and for gov. tom wolf, that she backs the iran nuclear agreement, and that she's a "hardcore partisan." and he challenged mcginty to stand up to clinton the way he says he's stood up to trump. "katie mcginty would be a rubber stamp for a very flawed president," toomey said. "and pennsylvania doesn't need a rubber stamp." at her event, mcginty mocked toomey for failing to pick a candidate: "the senator doesn't know what he thinks about donald trump 17 months in," she said. "a senator has to make tough decisions every day." but when confronted with toomey's accusation and pointed question <u+2014> are you willing to criticize or disagree with clinton? <u+2014> mcginty dodged. "how about the senator start right now, today, in standing up to donald trump?" mcginty said. "sen. toomey also says he's mr. law and order. he's standing with a candidate that has been recorded confessing to sexual assault." by bill scher by joshua zeitz by thomas wright by jack shafer
toomey tries to sidestep trump - politico
kevin robillard nolan d. mccaskill brent griffiths jack shafer