GOP Senate candidate and former Gov. Eric Greitens accused of abuse by ex-wife

Several Republican members of Congress are calling on fellow Republican and former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens to drop out of his Senate race following accusations of physical abuse by his ex-wife, Sheena Greitens.

Sen. Josh Hawley, is calling for Greitens to end his campaign. “If you hit a woman or a child, you belong in handcuffs, not the United States Senate. It’s time for Eric Greitens to leave this race,” tweeted Hawley, who is not up for reelection this year.

Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota had a similar stance. “Why you would want to continue the race in this case?” Thune said. “I mean, it just seems like with that coupled with all the other scandals, it’s hard to see how he could be a viable general election candidate.”

Sheena Greitens claimed that, following a 2018 argument, Eric Greitens “knocked me down and confiscated my cell phone, wallet and keys so that I was unable to call for help or extricate myself and our children from our home in Innsbrook, Missouri,” according to court documents.

In the affidavit, Sheena Greitens says her ex-husband threatened to use his political connections and influence to destroy her reputation.

“Prior to our divorce, during an argument in late April 2018, Eric knocked me down and confiscated my cellphone, wallet and keys so that I was unable to call for help or extricate myself and our children from our home,” Sheena Greitens wrote. “I became afraid for my safety and that of our children at our home.”

She adds that his “behavior included physical violence toward our children, such as cuffing our then-three-year-old son across the face at the dinner table in front of me and yanking him around by his hair.”

Sheena Greitans is now asking the court to move the case to Austin, Texas, in part to spare her children from public attention as Eric Greitens plans to run for the senate.

Eric Greitens has not responded to ABC News’ request for comment but in a statement on Twitter called the claims “completely fabricated” and “baseless.”

“Being a father is the joy of my life and my single most important responsibility,” he said, adding that he’s seeking full custody.