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Republicans Who Just Say No to Trump

Romney, Jeb Bush among lawmakers rejecting expected nominee, others are on the fence

[Related: Trump’s Shotgun Marriage to the RNC] UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 6: Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., listens as General John F. Campbell, Resolute Support Mission Commander in Afghanistan, testifies during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “Eating a taco is probably not going to fix the problems we have with Hispanics.”  

UNITED STATES - JANUARY 23: Presidential candidate Jeb Bush attends the New Hampshire Republican Party #FITN Leadership Summit at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua, N.H., January 23, 2016. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush “American voters have made it clear that Washington is broken, but I’m not optimistic that either of the leading candidates for president will put us on a better course.”  

[Related: Trump Not Worried About Party Unity] UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 07: Ben Sasse, republican congressional candidate from Nebraska, is interviewed by Roll Call. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. “A presidential candidate who boasts about what he’ll do during his ‘reign’ and refuses to condemn the KKK cannot lead a conservative movement in America”  

UNITED STATES - Oct 17 : Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign event at Ida Lee Park Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, in Leesburg, Va. (Photo By Douglas Graham/CQ Roll Call) 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney “The bullying, the greed, the showing off , the misogyny…”  

[Related: An Autopsy of the Autopsy] WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., leaves the House Republican Conference meeting in the Capitol on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla. “I think there’s a small possibility that this gentleman is a phantom candidate .”  

UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 09: Rep. Bob Dold, R-Ill., speaks during an event at the Chinatown Walgreens to unveil new efforts to combat opioid abuse, February 09, 2016. Walgreens will install drug disposal kiosks in 500 stores and also make the opioid antidote naloxone available without a prescription. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) Rep. Robert J. Dold, R-Ill. “[F]or me it was very personal his comments about POWs.  As you know, my uncle was the second one shot in the Vietnam War , and for me these comments altogether are not about uniting a country.”  

UNITED STATES - APRIL 12: Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wisc., speaks at a Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wis. “For the record, condemning the KKK isn’t something you should have to think twice about.”  

[Related: The Case for Gingrich as Trump’s Running Mate] UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 29: Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va., arrives for the House Republican Conference meeting in the basement of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va. “I reject Trump as our nominee based on his judgment, temperament and character, all of which point to a reckless, embarrassing and ultimately dangerous presidency.”  

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 28: Rep. Richard Hanna, R-N.Y., arrives for the House Republican Conference meeting to vote on their nominee for Speaker of the House on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) Rep. Richard Hanna, R-N.Y. “This campaign is beneath the dignity of the American people.”  

Former senator Gordon Humphrey, R-N.H. “Unequivocally, I am not supporting Donald Trump. I think he is a sociopath.”  

A Party Divided: GOP Leaders Split on Supporting the Donald

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Then there’s maybe

UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 24: Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wisc., attends a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in the Capitol Visitor Center's Emancipation Hall for the House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis. “I’m just not ready to do that at this point.”  

[Related: 5 Things to Know About the Ryan-Trump Meeting] Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo. “Trump’s slurs and attacks, not only do I find them not presidential, I just don’t even find them suitable in society.”  

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. “I would rather Mr. Trump change some of his positions or modify them.”  

Virginia Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va. “Idiotic.”  

[Related: Podcast: Trump Looms Large as Congress Returns] Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa. “He has a lot of fence mending to do.”  

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. “I would like to have a conversation with him.”  

Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y. “He’s basically sticking the middle finger to the establishment, and that’s what’s resonating.”  

   

Correction: An earlier version of this story said Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., had declined to endorse Trump. Instead, she said he has to earn her vote. Contact Rojas at warrenrojas@rollcall.com and follow him on Twitter at @WARojas. Contact Rahman at remarahman@cqrollcall.com or follow her on Twitter at @remawriter. Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone or your Android.

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