Morris County Republican Committee Chairman John Sette, however, plans to stand behind Donald Trump. Watch video
MORRISTOWN -- After Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's recent remarks that "Second Amendment people" would know what to do if Hillary Clinton is elected president and appoints liberal judges to the Supreme Court, Morris County Democrats are pushing for longtime Republican congressmen and the local Republican committee to withdraw their support for Trump.
"While there have always been disagreements across the two sides of the aisle, we feel that Mr. Trump presents a clear and present danger to American democracy, prestige and civil discourse," Morris County Democratic Chairman Chip Robinson said in a statement released on Wednesday.
Robinson called on U.S. Representatives Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11) and Leonard Lance (R-7) "to put their countries first" and to rescind their endorsements of Donald Trump. Calls placed to the offices of Frelinghuysen and Lance Thursday morning have not yet been returned.
Morris County Republican Committee Chairman John Sette, however, didn't mince words.
"(Robinson) should get a life and we'll see what happens in November," Sette said. "I'm supporting Trump. I think Donald Trump will be a better president than Hillary. She's the epitome of a crooked politician."
Robinson said the Democratic committee was "troubled" by Trump's recent remarks as well as "attacks on a pair of Gold Star parents...his misogynist statements about women, and his comments about immigrants and minorities."
Trump later stressed his comment wasn't to suggest Second Amendment advocates use violence to stop Clinton from nominating justices but to exert "political power" to derail her.
Sette said he would only withdraw his support for Trump if Robinson rescinded his endorsement of Clinton.
Morris Democratic Committee Political Director Matt Clarkin said Sette's suggestion was "laughable."
"The Democratic Party has nominated a strong and eminently qualified candidate for President running on decades of experience and accomplishment for Americans; the GOP has nominated a bush-league demagogue who seems content to run a campaign on fear, lies and hate," Clarkin said. " We are disappointed to hear that Chairman Sette will be part of the problem in the GOP rather than the solution."
He added: "Perhaps he'll regret the dark turn his party has taken when Secretary Clinton becomes the first Democratic Presidential candidate to win Morris County since LBJ."
Sette also characterized coverage of Trump's "Second Amendment people" remark and his most recent statement calling President Barack Obama "the founder of ISIS" and Clinton "the co-founder" as "Democratic spin."
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, is widely considered the founder of ISIS. He was killed by a U.S. air strike in 2006 during the administration of President George W. Bush.
"It's all spin," Sette said. "I'm only concerned about getting Republicans elected in Morris County and a Republican president. I'm not concerned about the Democratic and Hillary spin."
Clarkin said he was "at a loss for words" over Sette's Democratic spin comment.
"Not only are both of Trump's referenced comments on tape and widely distributed, but Trump's ISIS comments came after we sent out this press release (on Wednesday)," Clarkin said. "Chairman Sette is directly quoting his Presidential candidate while calling it Democratic spin. That's the sort of unbelievable lapse in reality that has Americans so weary of Donald Trump and the Republican Party this year."
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.