STATE COLLEGE, Pa. _ Penn State College Republicans did something that was unprecedented until recently _ they announced they will not endorse the Republican nominee for president.
Princeton College Republicans and the Harvard Republican Club made the same decision.
The Penn State student group accepted the decision after 72 percent of its members voted not to support Donald Trump. They made the announcement Thursday night on the group's Facebook page.
This comes after posts on the page like one on Aug. 2 that said "it would be historical if Donald J. Trump were to win Pennsylvania. It would be the first time since 1988 that a Republican nominee took home the Keystone state."
"The reason as to why our membership chose to not endorse Donald Trump could be for a multitude of reasons that we did not test for, such as his comments regarding foreign policy, fiscal policy or his rash commentary towards members of the public," the post said. "His policy views, however, certainly must have had an impact on our membership's view of his candidacy, otherwise there would not have been such a large percentage of the membership against endorsing him."
Examples of Trump statements that the group did not like included his support for killing families of suspected terrorists.
"This would be a policy that doesn't fall in line with Republican, American or Penn State values," the group said.
Penn State College Republicans also voiced concerns over Trump's "constantly flipped" stances and his recent claim that President Barack Obama founded the Islamic State.
"Conservative ideals must be defended from individuals who have tried to extinguish them in the past," the group said. "Future generations depend on us to defend these principles so they may enjoy them as well."
They also took issue with Trump's campaign slogan.
"America has and always will be great, there is no need to change the principles our nation was founded upon," the post said. "Instead, we should strive to protect them."
