A Michigan Republican House candidate under fire for saying he told his daughters “if rape is inevitable, you should just lie back and enjoy it” claims he’s only guilty of using a bad analogy.
Robert “RJ” Regan of Grand Rapids, who is favored to win the solidly Republican 74th District in west Michigan after an upset in a special election last week, made the remark during a livestream Sunday hosted by a conservative group.
On Monday, Regan said he only meant that “nothing is inevitable.”
“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 said.
- Regan also has said that the Ukraine war is a “fake war just like the fake pandemic,” and that George Soros is supporting Ukraine. “If evil George is supporting U then the opposite is the right thing to do,” Regan wrote. “Massive corruption, bio labs and money laundering is being taken out by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin; WEF, Soros and Clintons are none to happy about it.”
- Regan has posted anti-Semitic views as well. He has shared memes that suggest Jews were behind 9/11, presidential assassinations, and control banks and the media.
Regan ran for the House seat in 2014, 2018 and 2020, and made the news when his daughter vehemently pleaded with voters not to elect him. Stephanie Regan wrote on social media, “If you’re in Michigan and 18+ pls for the love of god do not vote for my dad for state rep. Tell everyone.”
Regan won the GOP primary for the district’s special election to replace former Rep Mark Huizenga who was elected to the state senate. If elected, Regan would hold the seat until December when a new election would be held under new districting.
The conservative Michigan Freedom Fund said in a statement Monday that Regan’s rape comments are “dehumanizing” and “disgusting.”
“RJ 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,” said Tori Sachs, executive director of the group. “I teach my four young daughters to stand up for themselves, to know their worth, and to fight back and speak out against creeps like Regan. RJ Regan doesn’t belong anywhere near the state Capitol, and that is why we endorsed and supported his opponent.”
The Michigan GOP co-chair MAGAt Meshawn Maddock had a different take, saying that the online condemnation of Regan is a “distraction” to “keep us away from (focusing on Gov. Gretchen) Whitmer’s disastrous policies.”