Republican Candidate Draws Backlash From Party As He Tells Daughters To ‘Enjoy’ If Raped

Michigan Republican candidate Robert “RJ” Regan's rape remark has drawn harsh backlash from party leaders.

Regan, who is running for a state House seat, made the controversial comment on a Sunday Facebook livestream hosted by a conservative group. He used the crude analogy while telling another participant that it was not too late to decertify the 2020 presidential election. The Kent County candidate said that he tells his daughters, “Well, if rape is inevitable, you should just lie back and enjoy it.”

Recently, Regan also said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a “fake war just like the fake pandemic."

According to New York Post, State Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser, who congratulated Regan last week, said that his “history of foolish, egregious and offensive comments, including his most recent one, are simply beyond the pale." Weiser added that they are better than "this as a party and I absolutely expect better than this of our candidates.”

Regan was also criticized by other top lawmakers. Senator Mark Huizenga said that Regan's statements about "Russia’s unprovoked attack of a sovereign country are contrary to our own nation’s values."

Tori Sachs, executive director for the Michigan Freedom Fund, said that Regan’s "disgusting and dehumanizing comments on the horror of sexual assault along with his support of murderous dictator Vladimir Putin are despicable and completely disqualify him from holding public office." According to The Detroit News, Sachs said that she teaches her four young daughters to stand up for themselves, to "know their worth, and to fight back and speak out against creeps like Regan."

In an interview on Monday, Regan reportedly conceded that his rape analogy was less than “smooth.” He said that sometimes, his words aren’t "as smooth and polished as the politicians are because I’m not a politician. I’m working on it."

His controversial comments came a year after he posted a series of anti-Semitic social media posts.

In last week's primary election for West Michigan's Grand Old Party-leaning 74th District, Regan came in first among four GOP House candidates. Steven Gilbert, who is his opponent, had been endorsed by the Michigan Freedom Fund.