RNC reportedly pulls resources from Trump after lewd tape surfaces

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on Saturday told the RNC to redirect resources away from Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reports. Trump has been under fire since The Washington Post on Friday surfaced video of him making extremely graphic comments about women during an Access Hollywood segment taped in 2005.

Priebus' directive is apparently an effort to salvage the GOP's chances in down-ballot races, as party operatives are concerned the backlash facing Trump may jeopardize their odds to retain the Senate as well as the House. Earlier Saturday, Politico reported the RNC halted its mail production for the pro-Trump "Victory" program, presumably in order to redirect resources elsewhere. The Washington Post called the backlash of Trump on Saturday an "epic and historic political crisis."

Several party heavyweights have denounced Trump's comments: Trump's running mate Mike Pence said he was "offended" by the remarks, and that he could not defend them, while House Speaker Paul Ryan uninvited Trump from an event Saturday in Wisconsin, which was set to be Ryan's first campaign appearance alongside the Republican nominee. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the party's 2008 nominee, retracted his endorsement of Trump, as did Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, while several other ranking Republicans issued statements denouncing Trump's words and, in some case, calling for his removal from the ticket.

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Priebus was scheduled to appear on Face the Nation on Sunday, but the appearance was canceled because the Trump campaign reportedly preferred a "campaign person"; he will be replaced by major Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York. Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway was scheduled to appear on Fox News Sunday, but Giuliani will also take over that segment. Trump himself is scheduled to face-off against Hillary Clinton on Sunday night in the second presidential debate, which begins 9 p.m. ET Sunday.