Rep. Ann Wagner (Mo.), a member of the House GOP leadership, said Thursday that she is currently unable to get behind presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Wagner, who has played a central role in recruiting more Republican women to run for Congress, cited Trump’s derogatory comments about women, immigrants and the Bush family.
She told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Trump would need to offer more conservative policy positions and refrain from personal insults.
{mosads}“Actually put real policies and issues out there that line up with my conservative principles,” Wagner said. “And I have yet to see that on policy.
“And, quite frankly, I believe in calling people to their highest and best, not their lowest and least. And Donald Trump’s slurs and attacks, not only do I find them not presidential, I just don’t even find them suitable in society,” she said.
Wagner further pointed to Trump’s attack on Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) last year, when the real estate mogul said he “like[s] people that weren’t captured.”
“I have no respect for anyone who uses a national microphone to disparage our vets,” she said.
Despite expressing distaste for Trump, Wagner ruled out ever voting for Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton as some Republicans have said they will do.
“First and foremost, I have absolutely no intention of supporting Hillary Clinton — not now, not ever,” Wagner said. “I am kind of like all voters. The candidate who is running for public office has to earn my vote, and Donald Trump has not earned my vote.”
Wagner first endorsed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for president. She served as ambassador to Luxembourg during the George W. Bush administration and worked for George H.W. Bush’s presidential campaigns.
After Jeb Bush dropped out of the GOP primary this year, Wagner then endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). But Cruz suspended his campaign this week following Trump’s victory in the Indiana primary, as did the other remaining candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Wagner made her comments shortly before Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) stunning announcement Thursday afternoon that he’s “just not ready” to support Trump as the nominee yet. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that he will support Trump even as other top party figures refuse to rally around Trump.
“I hope to, though. And I want to. But what is required is to unify this party. And the bulk of the burden on unifying the party will have to come from our presumptive nominee,” Ryan told CNN’s Jake Tapper.