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Political roundup: Trump putting Republicans running for office in a “no-win situation”

"For Republicans who have not distanced themselves from Trump, it may be too late," Demas told us.
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"For Republicans who have not distanced themselves from Trump, it may be too late," Demas told us.

 

It's the political roundup with Ken Sikkemaand Susan Demas.

A new Detroit News and WDIV poll shows Republican candidate Donald Trump slipping and Democrat Hillary Clinton gaining in Michigan. Her lead has widened by nearly 12 percentage points.

This week Governor Snyder called the presidential election a “huge mess” and said Trump’s comments about women were “revolting and disgusting.”

While Republicans like Snyder - who never endorsed Trump - are speaking out, other Republicans have been defending Trump’s statements as merely “locker room talk.”

It’s hardly the first Trump-centric story we’ve seen throughout this election cycle, but according to Demas, this one is “kryptonite.”

“This is nothing that Trump needs with Independents and undecided women, with religious women, and even with some steady Republican female voters,” she said.

Sikkema told us that Trump has put Republicans on ballots everywhere in a tough position.

“What you see is Republicans just being between this rock and a hard place,” he said. “For a lot of these Republicans, it’s a no-win situation. You disavow Trump, you alienate his supporters, core Republican voters. If you embrace Trump, you alienate suburban independent voters, particularly women voters.”

Sikkema and Demas talk more about Trump and the 8th Congressional district race in our conversation above.

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