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Arnold Schwarzenegger, John McCain and More Republicans Say They Won’t Be Voting for Donald Trump

Arnold Schwarzenegger and John McCain
Arnold Schwarzenegger and John McCainMichael Stewart/FilmMagic / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The fallout continues. Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Arizona senator John McCain are among several prominent Republican politicians who announced on Saturday, October 8, that they won’t be voting for Donald Trump in the wake of his sexist video controversy.

Related: PHOTOS: 12 Times Donald Trump Has Body-Shamed Stars Over the Years

Schwarzenegger, who replaced Trump as the host of NBC’s Apprentice, posted a statement online on Saturday, writing, “For the first time since I became a citizen in 1983, I will not vote for the Republican candidate for President. As proud as I am to label myself a Republican, there is one label that I hold above all else — American.”

McCain, who was the GOP presidential nominee in 2008, posted a statement on his website on Saturday announcing that he was withdrawing his support of Trump.

Donald Trump
Donald Trump Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“In addition to my well known differences with Donald Trump on public policy issues, I have raised questions about his character after his comments on Prisoners of War, the Khan Gold Star family, Judge Curiel and earlier inappropriate comments about women,” wrote the senator, who was previously mocked by the real estate mogul for being captured in Vietnam.

McCain went on to address the controversy over a newly released 2005 video, in which Trump could be heard talking to Billy Bush about trying to f–k Access Hollywood cohost Nancy O’Dell, and boasting that he could grab a woman “by the p–sy” because he’s a celebrity.

Related: PHOTOS: 13 Times Hillary Clinton Was Cooler Than You Thought

“As I said yesterday, there are no excuses for Donald Trump’s offensive and demeaning comments in the just released video; no woman should ever be victimized by this kind of inappropriate behavior. He alone bears the burden of his conduct and alone should suffer the consequences,” he wrote.

“Donald Trump’s behavior this week, concluding with the disclosure of his demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults, make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy,” McCain continued.

The veteran said he and his wife, Cindy McCain, “will not vote for Donald Trump.”

“I have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate and we will not vote for Hillary Clinton,” he added. “We will write in the name of some good conservative Republican who is qualified to be President.”

Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice took to Facebook to express her opinion, writing, “Enough! Donald Trump should not be President. He should withdraw. 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.”

Senator Marco Rubio, former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina, who lost to Trump in the primaries, have slammed the Apprentice star for his comments, while his vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, said he was “offended.”

Nebraska senator Ben Sasse, Arizona senator Jeff Flake, Utah senator Mike Lee and South Dakota senator John Thune are among those calling for Trump to withdraw as the party’s nominee, while New Hampshire senator Kelly Ayotte, Utah governor Gary Herbert, Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz and Idaho senator Mike Crapo are among those who have stated they will not vote for him.

Related: PHOTOS: Donald Trump's Most Offensive and Outrageous Quotes

Ayotte wrote in a statement on Saturday that she “cannot and will not support a candidate for President who brags about degrading and assaulting women.”

Trump said in a video statement late on Friday, October 7, that the comments he made in the 2005 footage are not representative of who he is as a person.

“I’ve never said I’m a perfect person, nor pretended to be someone that I’m not,” he said. “Anyone who knows me knows these words don’t reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize.”

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