Third GOP Senate candidate breaks with Romney

AFP/Getty

(CBS News) Three Republican Senate candidates have now distanced themselves from Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's leaked statement that the 47 percent of Americans who do not pay income tax see themselves as "victims" and "believe the government has a responsibility to care for them."

Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, who is battling Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkeley to keep his Senate seat, told reporters on Capitol Hill that he has a "very different view of the world" than the one articulated by Romney, The Washington Post reports.

"I have five brothers and sisters. My father was an auto mechanic, my mother was a school cook," Heller said Wednesday. "I have a very different view of the world and as a United States senator I think I represent everybody. And every vote is important. Every vote is important in this race. I don't write off anything."

In the leaked comments, Romney said his job is "not to worry about" the 47 percent, since they won't vote for him. "I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." After the comments came out, Romney said he is trying to "get as many [votes] as I can from every single cohort in this country."

On Tuesday, Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who is locked in a tight race with Democrat Elizabeth Warren, said Romney's comments are "not the way I view the world."

"As someone who grew up in tough circumstances, I know that being on public assistance is not a spot that anyone wants to be in," he told The Hill. "Too many people today who want to work are being forced into public assistance for lack of jobs."

Connecticut Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon, who is also in a tight race, said in a statement on her website that she disagrees with Romney's "insinuation that 47% of Americans believe they are victims who must depend on the government for their care." 

"I know that the vast majority of those who rely on government are not in that situation because they want to be," she said.

A poll out Wednesday found that voters have a negative response to Romney's comments, with 36 percent saying the comments make them less likely to back Romney and 20 percent saying they make them more likely to back him. 

[allrightallreadym]

Given President Obama's efforts, I am surprised 100% of the voters do not view themselves as "victims." Isn't that Obama's theme?

'YOU ARE VICTIMS AND THE MESSIAH, ME - YOUR PRESIDENT, WILL GET YOU JUSTICE. I WILL HELP YOU GET EVEN WITH ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE YOU WRONG - WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF YOU. ESPECIALLY THE FOLKS WHO APPEAR ON SHOWS SUCH AS MAURY POVICH.'

Never watched Maury Povich? Take a look. The audience laughs, jeers, and generally has a "grand ole time." What they are laughing about, I do not know.

Who is financially supporting these people as they try to figure out who fathered who, how many children they may have fathered by how many mothers, and, of course, as women test 1, 2, 3.....10 men to determine who daddy may be? Maury seems to have "no problem" finding such people. Who the hay is financially supporting this garbage? Take a guess. Oh, it is just a bundle of laughs.

[carolo43]

Oh please. What a bunch of hypocrites these people are. They are simply trying to save their own poll numbers and will fall all over themselves to Romney when they get to the polls.

[TimeToEvolve]

Someone need to find out if these half brained Republicons signed the "no-tax" pledge that their master demanded them to do. Let's get that information out there. And while we are at it, spread these names around.

Senator John Boozman (R-AR)
Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE)
Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA)
Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)

These are the Republicon bozos who helped write the Veterans benefits bill and then voted not to pass it. These are despicable Republicons who don't support the troops and would hurt them just so jobs are not created. WOW!

[mikesfilms]

If you ain't got money and you vote for "voucherizing" Medicare and lowering the rich tax, R/R are walking their rods in your mouth and you aint't even feeling it.

[sjj1222]

Romney and Company smirk ...and smile ...and say to us:
TO HELL with all those "moochers" and "free-loaders"
receiving Medicare, or Veterans Benefits, or Pell Grants,
or Social Security, or Unemployment, or Medicaid, or Food Stamps, or on Disability,
Romney says TO HELL with all of us that are struggling to stay afloat,
to those in the Middle-class, and to those hoping to get there.
Romney says TO HELL with the hungry, the homeless, the helpless,
and the hopeless, ....to all the biblical "least of these".
Romney says TO HELL with the "47% of America" -- the "losers"
that Romney so easily dismisses and disrespects as "dependents".
Romney wines... INCREDIBLY ...that we're shamelessly sponging off of him,
and off of all of his poor-poor-poor super-rich friends
.....all those super-rich folks who want to BUY this ELECTION,
.....all those super-rich folks who want to BUY this COUNTRY.
Trickle-down economics? Hey, sure , let them eat cake. It's all the same. Always has been.
It's crumbs for us, and Cadillacs and car elevators, and loopholes & lower taxes for them.
That is, if they, and the bailed-out banks, and the big corporations pay ANY taxes at all....
If THEY get a break- they deserve it. But If YOU get a break, it's a handout. BULL!
Tell me - who are the REAL "takers", who are the REAL creators,
who are the TRUE workers and builders?
Wo are the REAL "victims" here?
Who gave their LIVES and limbs ...in unpaid and un-needed wars?
Whose sweat, .....on whose brows, has BUILT this great country?
Was it the Romney's of this world ...or us?
But we still have a voice. It's called our VOTE.
Loud and Clear -- Just say NO.
Say NO to Romney & Company ...and what they stand for.
This is STILL our country. Our children's country.
And we mean to KEEP it that way. Period.

[Lindag20]

So these people actually want to WIN their election race. Hmmm....

[AOCGUY]

Oh boy, these GOP candidates are screwed now. Disagreeing with the annointed one is heresy.

[audemus]

My goodness....the rats are finally abandoning the leaky tub...

[zenia5]

The smart Repubs are distancing themselves from Romney....the not-so-smart ones are helping Romney rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic as it sinks.