BISMARCK, N.D. - Republican state Representative Nico Rios of Williston, North Dakota, is facing mounting pressure to resign after his arrest for drunken driving earlier this month. Party leaders, including House Majority Leader Mike Lefor and North Dakota Republican Party Chairwoman Sandi Sanford, have called for Rios' resignation following reports of his homophobic and anti-migrant remarks directed at police during the traffic stop.

According to a police officer's report, Rios displayed "verbally abusive, homophobic, racially abusive and discriminatory" behavior towards the officer throughout the encounter, which included roadside testing. The report alleges that Rios attempted to use his position as a lawmaker to intimidate police and avoid arrest.

In response, Majority Leader Mike Lefor issued a statement on Tuesday, stating, "There is no room in the legislature, or our party, for this behavior. I understand people make mistakes, but his comments and defiance to law enforcement are beyond the pale. In addition, any lawmaker attempting to use his or her elected position to threaten anyone or skirt the law is completely unacceptable."

Rios has yet to provide a comment regarding the calls for resignation, and his attorney has not responded to inquiries.

In previous statements, Rios expressed remorse for his conduct towards the police. He acknowledged that his behavior was unacceptable and promised to ensure it would not happen again in the future.

Chairwoman Sandi Sanford also condemned Rios' actions, stating, "Rep. Rios' actions and words fall short of the basic decency we expect from any of our neighbors. He endangered the community he was elected to serve and disrespected peace officers. This violates our core values as Republicans."

The incident came to light when police body camera footage was requested and provided to The Associated Press. The footage reportedly captures Rios using derogatory language towards the officer, including questioning his English accent, homophobic slurs, and anti-migrant remarks. Rios also threatened to involve the North Dakota attorney general in the situation, warning the officers that they would "regret picking on me because you don't know who... I am."

Rios, who is employed in an oil field role related to hydraulic fracturing, was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2022. He currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, a committee responsible for handling law enforcement-related legislation.

Rios now faces misdemeanor charges of drunken driving and refusing to provide a chemical test. His pretrial conference is scheduled for February 5 in municipal court.

With Republicans controlling the North Dakota House by a wide margin of 82-12, the calls for Rios' resignation have exposed a rift within the party, highlighting a conflict between party values and the lawmaker's behavior.

As the controversy surrounding Representative Nico Rios continues to unfold, the future of his political career remains uncertain.