AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Maine Gov. Paul LePage is standing by presidential candidate Donald Trump, though he also said he doesn’t want his daughter — an employee of Trump’s campaign — getting too cozy with the wealthy New York businessman.
LePage made the comments following the release last week of a videotape showing Trump using predatory language regarding women. LePage, a Republican like Trump, addressed Trump’s comments during an appearance on WVOM-FM on Tuesday in which he also took shots at Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.
Talking about Trump, LePage said “it’s one thing to be in a locker room and talk, it’s another thing to be in the White House and do it.” He then went on to compare Trump’s comments to Bill Clinton’s extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky.
The Maine governor qualified by saying Donald Trump is “not the ideal guy I’d want my daughter going after.”
LePage endorsed Trump months ago and stumped for him at the state’s caucus. His daughter Lauren works for Trump’s campaign.
LePage said on the radio that the country needs Trump “to show some authoritarian power in our country” because Obama has acted like “an autocrat” during his tenure as president.
He also criticized Collins, who has spoken out against Trump’s behavior during the presidential campaign.
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