Three of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nate Boulton’s rivals are calling on him to exit the race after The Des Moines Register published allegations from three women who say Boulton touched them inappropriately. Thirty-eight-year-old Nate Boulton issued a written statement early Wednesday afternoon. He apologized to the women, but added that he “doesn’t have the same recollection” of the incidents they described to the newspaper. Later Wednesday, Boulton told W-O-I Television he was “hurt and embarased…and more than a little surprised” when he read The Register’s article about an incident in 2015 and two others from Boulton’s college days.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Cathy Glasson, Andy McGuire and Ross Wilburn have all called for Boulton to withdraw from the race. At the beginning o of the day, Boulton had the endorsements of 23 state legislators, but by midnight a handful publicly withdrew their backing and urged Boulton to end his campaign. Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque who appears in a Boulton campaign ad, said the allegations of sexual misconduct against Boulton are “serious and compeling” and, while Jochum did not directly call for Boulton to end his campaign, Jochum said: “he has an important decision to make.”

Andy McGuire, the former chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party, says it’s not enough for Boulton “to apologize and move on.” McGuire says Boulton should “lead by example” and end his campaign. The other men running for governor all say they do not tolerate sexual harassment. Ross Wilburn says if Boulton winds up as Iowa Democrats’ nominee for governor, there’d a “cloud” hanging over the party.

(Radio Iowa)