ELKHORN, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on Wisconsin Republicans’ unity rally (all times local):
3:15 p.m.
House Speaker Paul Ryan is being greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers at a Republican rally in his Wisconsin congressional district.
Ryan began his comments Saturday by saying “there is a bit of an elephant in the room,” referring to the lewd comments from Donald Trump that came to light Friday. Ryan did not mention Trump by name but said “it is a troubling situation. It is.”
But Ryan says he put out a statement Friday and “That is not what we are here to talk about today.”
Ryan said Friday that he was “sickened” by Trump’s comments. He also uninvited him from Saturday’s rally.
Trump supporters are yelling “Donald Trump!” at Ryan throughout his speech, while most of the crowd is cheering his comments.
Ryan says the point of the annual “Fall Fest” event is to talk about the ideas of Wisconsin Republicans.
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3 p.m.
Gov. Scott Walker is joining other Republicans at a GOP rally in Wisconsin in avoiding addressing lewd comments made by presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Walker focused on Wisconsin’s Senate and state legislative races at Saturday’s rally in House Speaker Paul Ryan’s district. But Walker did not address the remarks from Trump that came to light Friday and have led some Republicans to call on Trump to quit the race.
Walker has endorsed Trump and helped his running mate Mike Pence prepare for his vice presidential debate. Walker called Trump’s comments “inexcusable” in a Twitter post Friday.
But Walker didn’t say anything about Trump’s comments on Saturday at the rally that Trump was supposed to headline. Ryan uninvited Trump on Friday night.
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2:45 p.m.
Republican Sen. Ron Johnson is not addressing the controversy over Donald Trump’s crude comments at a GOP rally that originally was to be headlined by Trump.
Johnson spoke Saturday at the rally but did not refer to Trump’s lewd remarks that came to light Friday. Those comments led to House Speaker Paul Ryan uninviting him from the annual “Fall Fest” event in his congressional district.
Johnson focused on his own tough re-election battle with Democrat Russ Feingold. Johnson did not say the words “Donald Trump” during his 10-minute address, but urged the crowd to prevent Hillary Clinton from being elected president.
Johnson did issue a statement on Friday night condemning Trump’s remarks but he has not withdrawn his support.
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2:30 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner is defending House Speaker Paul Ryan in the face of heckling from a Republican crowd at a rally in Ryan’s congressional district.
Sensenbrenner said Saturday that the annual “Fall Fest” is a chance to thank Ryan for his work. That led to someone in the crowd yelling, “Not no more!”
Sensenbrenner started to say, “OK, if you’re not going to be for the whole ticket” before being interrupted again by the person shouting “I’m for Donald Trump!”
Sensenbrenner then urged the person to “stop interrupting me” before making his case to elect both Trump and others running for office this year.
Trump was originally to headline the annual event in Ryan’s district but Ryan uninvited him Friday night after lewd and sexually charged comments Trump made in 2005 came to light.
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2:10 p.m.
Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel is getting heckled for criticizing lewd and sexually charged comments made by Donald Trump in 2005.
Schimel spoke at a Republican rally Saturday that originally was to be headlined by Trump. Speaker Paul Ryan uninvited him Friday after the comments Trump made 11 years ago came to light.
Schimel says “I know Donald Trump has said some things that are bad.” That led to yelling from the crowd of Trump backers. One person shouted, “It was 12 years ago! Get over it!”
Schimel says he supports Trump because he “will appoint judges who will defend our Constitution and respect our Constitution.”
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2 p.m.
Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and eight other fellow Republican state lawmakers are rallying supporters at an event that was originally to include Donald Trump.
Vos focused on the record of the state Legislature during his comments at the Saturday rally in southeast Wisconsin. Vos has been a lukewarm supporter of Trump and did not mention him during his speech.
Vos did not return a message asking if he still supports Trump in light of his lewd and sexually charged comments that were made public Friday.
Trump and his running mate Mike Pence were originally slated to be at the annual “Fall Fest” rally but neither attended.
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1:30 p.m.
A Wisconsin rally that was to showcase Republican unity has begun without Donald Trump or Mike Pence in attendance.
Trump was uninvited by House Speaker Paul Ryan on Friday after lewd and sexually charged comments Trump made in 2005 surfaced. Pence was to take his place but canceled Saturday hours before the event started.
Ryan, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Republican Sen. Ron Johnson are among the office holders slated to speak at the annual “Fall Fest” event.
Many people in the crowd say they still support Trump and are unhappy with Ryan for condemning the remarks.
Ryan, Walker and Johnson have all criticized Trump’s comments but not pulled their support for him.
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12:37 p.m.
Donald Trump supporters in Wisconsin say they are standing by their man.
Backers at what was to be a Republican unity rally Saturday featuring Trump say newly released audio showing him making lewd comments about women isn’t changing their support for him. Trump was uninvited from the event.
Plumber Scott Reese says Trump is a “great man” and “we all make mistakes.”
Jean Stanley is wearing a pink T-shirt with bold, black lettering that said “Wisconsin Women Love Trump.”
Stanley says the comments show Trump is a “real human.”
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11:37 a.m.
Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence will not attend a scheduled campaign rally in Wisconsin with House Speaker Paul Ryan.
That’s according to a GOP official with knowledge of Pence’s plans who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release such details.
Trump and Pence were both scheduled to attend Saturday’s event, but Trump bailed out late Friday as bipartisan condemnation rained down on him over his recorded vulgarities toward women.
It was unclear whether Pence would attend a private fundraiser in Rhode Island later Saturday.
Pence has been silent on the release of the 12-year-old recording, in which Trump describes his own aggressive treatment of women.
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8:10 a.m.
Wisconsin’s top Republicans are sticking by Donald Trump while they also denounce newly released lewd comments he made about women 11 years ago.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, Sen. Ron Johnson and Gov. Scott Walker are among the Republicans who are scheduled to appear at a unity rally Saturday afternoon in Ryan’s southeast Wisconsin congressional districts. All three condemned Trump on Friday night for the comments, but none withdrew their support.
Trump was originally set to appear at the annual “Fall Fest” event, which would have been his first joint campaign stop with either Ryan or Johnson. But he canceled Friday night, saying he’s preparing for Sunday’s debate. His running mate Mike Pence is to speak instead.
Trump apologized via video on Friday for the vulgar and sexually charged comments.
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