Robert “RJ” Regan, a Michigan Republican House candidate, is facing backlash for drawing comparisons between a possible decertification of an election to circumstances surrounding sexual assault.

“Having three daughters, I tell my daughters, ‘well, if rape is inevitable, you should just lie back and enjoy it,’” Regan said on a Facebook live stream with the Republican group Rescue Michigan Coalition on Sunday, 10 minutes into the broadcast. "That’s not how we roll. That’s not how we won this election.”

Regan lost in his 2020 bid for Michigan House of Representatives District 73 after his daughter, Stephanie Regan, made a series of tweets urging people not to vote for her father. Many were quick to condemn Regan’s comments, though the Michigan Republican Party has not stripped him of his candidacy.

“RJ Regan’s disgusting and dehumanizing comments on the horror of sexual assault . . . are despicable and completely disqualify him from holding public office,” said Tori Sachs, executive director for the Betsy DeVos-backed Michigan Freedom Fund, according to the Detroit News. “RJ Regan doesn’t belong anywhere near the state Capitol.”

“Mr. Regan’s history of foolish, egregious, and offensive comments, including his most recent one, are simply beyond the pale,” said Michigan Republican Party Ambassador Weiser in a statement. “We are better than this as a Party and I absolutely expect better than this of our candidates.”

“As a former representative of this district, I am appalled to hear the comments from Mr. Regan. These comments are offensive, dangerous, and unbecoming of any candidate for public office,” said Kent County chairperson and former State Rep. Rob VerHeulen in a statement. “I believe Mr. Regan owes an apology immediately.”

Kent County Democratic Party Chai Bill Saxton said that voters “deserve better than a man who jokes about rape, who has long disparaged women and who regularly promotes vile antisemitic rhetoric.”

“The Republican Party must stand up to Robert Regan and hold him accountable for his shameful comments by removing his name for consideration on the special election May ballot,” Saxton added. “Anything short of [removing his name from consideration] shows support for this kind of toxic rhetoric.”

On the live stream, Regan also defended Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Regan tried to defend his words by stating, according to Bridge Michigan, “sometimes, my words aren’t as smooth and polished as the politicians are because I’m not a politician. I’m working on it.”

“The only reason the (politically) left trolls attack you is because they know you're directly over the target, dropping direct hits on an issue. If you're not scoring hits, they leave you alone,” he added.

He faces Carol Glanville in a special election for the Michigan House Seat. The vote will take place on May 3.

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