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Prominent Republicans and conservative news media outlets rallied in recent weeks around the cause of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, whose armed standoff with authorities over grazing rights on federal land had made him an instant folk hero on the right.

But Bundys GOP defenders, including Sens. Dean Heller (Nev.) and Rand Paul (Ky.), rapidly abandoned him on Thursday following reports of incendiary remarks that the white rancher made about minorities. Bundy wondered aloud whether blacks would be better off as slaves picking cotton, and alleged that people of color are against us.

The controversy marks another major headache for establishment Republicans working to build better relationships with blacks and Hispanics crucial voting blocs that have increasingly supported Democrats in recent elections. The GOP is in the midst of a messaging tour aimed at reintroducing the party to minority voters, including lawmaker visits to minority neighborhoods and to historically black colleges.

It undermines the broader, more important goals to rebrand and reestablish a conversation with a community that looks suspiciously upon most of the things you say, said former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, referring to African Americans in particular.

Steele, who was the RNCs first black chairman, added that Republicans must declare that there is no place for this level of ignorance and stupidity around matters of race in our party.

Bundy and his family are entrenched in a decades-long battle with federal authorities after the rancher refused to pay fines for illegally grazing his cattle on federal land. The dispute escalated this month when Bundy and an armed militia of supporters had a standoff with federal agents who attempted to seize his cattle a confrontation featured prominently during numerous segments on Fox News Channel.

A growing number of Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits had expressed support for Bundys cause, while top Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) denounced him as a vigilante and domestic terrorist.

The New York Times on Thursday reported a series of racial comments Bundy made during the weekend to a reporter and supporters gathered at his ranch. Later Thursday, The Washington Post obtained a video recorded by a Bundy supporter that included all of the remarks.

I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro, Bundy said, according to the video. Ive often wondered: Are they better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things, or are they better off under government subsidy? They didnt get no more freedom. They got less freedom.

He also recalled 1960s-era riots by what he called Negro groups in Los Angeles. He said he hardly ever saw a black person until he was almost a teenager and noted that he is surrounded by white faces.

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Republicans distance selves from Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy over racial remarks