Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and Governor Terry Branstad.

Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and Governor Terry Branstad.

Iowa’s lieutenant governor is urging Iowa voters to ignore the “misinformation” about this year’s presidential race.

Republican Kim Reynolds said this morning that Donald Trump’s controversial comments about women are “inexcusable” and “unacceptable,” but Reynolds said there are more important issues voters need to focus upon.

“We need to kind of just kind of put the clutter aside, put the distraction aside and focus on what’s important,” Reynolds said. “And I believe that’s what Iowans will do.”

Reynolds was on an overseas trade mission in early October when remarks Trump made in 2005 were first broadcast. Her comments today are the first time she’s spoken in public about Trump’s remarks. Reynolds told reporters getting the country “back and on track” should dominate voters’ decision-making.

“What I love about Iowans is we’re informed voters and part of the reason we’re informed voters is because of our first-in-the-nation Caucus,” Reynolds said, “and so I really have a lot of confidence in Iowans to look at the issues, to look at what’s important for the state of Iowa, to look at what’s important for our children and our grandchildren.”

In mid-September, Reynolds headlined an “Iowa Women for Trump” rally in Des Moines. Reynolds said at the time that Trump “not only will keep our families and safe and revitalize the economy,” but his childcare plan “makes groundbreaking reforms.” Today, Reynolds suggested those are the topics voters should consider rather than allegations of personal misconduct against Trump.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out in this election,” Reynolds said near the end of the governor’s weekly news conference. “There’s a lot other issues and I just think we need to put some of these aside and we need to focus on the direction that we want to take this country and that’s what we’re focusing on.”

Reynolds said it’s “pretty clear” Hillary Clinton will take the country in a different direction than Republicans want to se

“For Lt. Gov. Reynolds’ to refer to Donald Trump’s comments and behavior as ‘clutter’ once again ignores the gravity of his actions,” Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Andy McGuire said in a written statement. “Sexual assault, sexual harassment, and misogyny toward women are serious issues.”