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Robert Regan: Michigan GOP candidate blasted for telling daughters to 'lie back and enjoy' rape

Robert Regan, a candidate for the state senate in Michigan, made the comments on Facebook livestream hosted by a conservative group

A Michigan Republican candidate is facing backlash from party leaders and netizens, after he reportedly spoke about advising his daughters to "lie back and enjoy it", if rape was inevitable. Robert "RJ" Regan, a candidate for the state senate in Michigan, made the comments on Facebook livestream hosted by a conservative group on Sunday, March 6. 

Regan used the crude analogy while explaining to another participant that it was not too late to decertify the 2020 presidential election. Regan said: "Having three daughters, I tell my daughters, 'If rape is inevitable, you should just lie back and enjoy it'." The comment drew a strong reaction from one of the other participants, Amber Harris, who called Regan's comment "shameful." Host Adam de Angeli pointed out that the show is streaming on YouTube, then added: "Probably not for much longer after what Robert said."

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Host Adam de Angeli told a news outlet that he believes Regan "misspoke", trying to say that not contesting the election would be like telling his daughters to lay back and enjoy rape. "Maybe not the best analogy, but he was speaking extemporaneously," said de Angeli. Meanwhile, Regan conceded that his rape analogy was less than "smooth," in an interview with Bridge Michigan on Monday, March 7. "Sometimes, my words aren’t as smooth and polished as the politicians are because I’m not a politician. I’m working on it," Regan reportedly said.

Meanwhile, netizens expressed their disgust with the politician's analogy and his excuse to explain the on-camera gaffe. One wrote, "How sick is that!." Another commented, "Honestly, @GOP what is wrong with y'all? Your walking bags-of-crap candidates just get worse and worse. Time to drive home this reality to our nation, @DNC!." A third added, "In today's episode of awful human beings." A fourth wrote, "Good time to remind voters that in 2020, Robert Regan's daughter tweeted: 'If you’re in Michigan and 18+ pls for the love of god do not vote for my dad for state rep. Tell everyone'". A fifth added, "As a woman, and as a rape survivor, let me just say that Robert Regan can f**k right off into the sun."

The Kent County candidate, who won a four-way special election to snag the Republican nomination for the seat last week, also recently commented that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was a "fake war just like the fake pandemic." State Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser, who congratulated Regan last week, said his "history of foolish, egregious and offensive comments, including his most recent one, are simply beyond the pale." He added, "We are better than this as a party and I absolutely expect better than this of our candidates."