Since Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore was accused by five women of pursuing relationships with him when they were teenagers, fellow Republicans have weighed in on what he should do ahead of the state’s election on December 12.
Republicans’ responses can be divided into a few categories, those who said Moore should step down, no caveats; those who said Moore should step down if the allegations are true; those who are defending Moore; and those who aren’t saying anything.
Since the most recent accuser came forward Monday, the number of Republicans calling for Moore to drop out of the race has grown. Here are some of their responses:
Republicans who say Moore should step aside or be removed from office if he is elected:
Sen. John McCain, Arizona:
“He should immediately step aside and allow the people of Alabama to elect a candidate they can be proud of,” he said in a statement Thursday.
Mitt Romney:
“Moore is unfit for office and should step aside,” he tweeted Friday.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Illinois:
“I think Roy Moore needs to step aside now. These allegations are disgusting and I believe them,” he said on “The Lead” Friday.
Rep. Barbara Comstock, Virginia:
“Roy Moore should not serve in the US Senate,” she said in a statement Friday.
Sen Mike Lee, Utah:
“I can no longer endorse his candidacy for the US Senate,” he tweeted Friday.
Sen. Bob Corker, Tennessee:
“Even before these reports surfaced, Roy Moore’s nomination was a bridge too far,” he tweeted Friday.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa:
“He should step aside,” he told KCCI-TV Friday, according to the Des Moines Register.
Sen. Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania:
“I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best if Roy would just step aside,” he said on “Meet the Press” Sunday.
Rep. Charlie Dent, Pennsylvania:
“I just think the man is unfit. That was before these recent allegations of very serious misconduct, so I think right now it’s important that this man step aside,” he said in an interview with CNN Monday.
Rep. Tom Cole, Oklahoma:
“The best thing to do would be for him to step aside,” he said in an interview on MSNBC Monday.
Sen. Susan Collins, Maine:
“I did not find his denials to be convincing and believe that he should withdraw from the Senate race in Alabama,” she tweeted Monday.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky:
“I think he should step aside,” he told reporters Monday.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, Utah:
“I stand with the Majority Leader on this,” he tweeted about McConnell calling on Moore to step aside.
Jeb Bush:
“I would,” he told CNBC when asked if he agreed with McConnell that Moore should step aside.
Sen. Cory Gardner, Colorado:
“If he refuses to withdraw and wins, the Senate should vote to expel him, because he does not meet the ethical and moral requirements of the United States Senate,” he said in a statement Monday.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina:
“I believe Roy Moore would be doing himself, the state, the GOP, and the country a service by stepping aside,” he tweeted Monday.
Sen. Rob Portman, Ohio:
“I believe he should step aside,” he told reporters Monday.
Sen. Ron Johnson, Wisconsin:
“It’d be nice if he’d step aside and we could come up with some system for electing a different Republican,” he told reporters Monday.
Sen. Richard Shelby, Alabama:
Told reporters Friday it would be easier if Moore dropped out and suggested Attorney General Jeff Sessions as write-in candidate.
Sen. Thom Tillis, North Carolina:
“He should immediately withdraw from the race,” he tweeted Monday.
Republicans who say Moore should step aside “if” the allegations are true:
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders:
“The President also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside,” she said in a statement Friday.
Vice President Mike Pence:
“The Vice President found the allegations in the story disturbing and believes, if true, this would disqualify anyone from serving in office,” a spokeswoman for Pence said Friday.
Sen Marco Rubio, Florida:
“Today’s report in The Washington Post raises allegations against Mr. Moore that are deeply disturbing and, if true, disqualifying,” he said in a statement Thursday, according to the Miami Herald.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, Alaska:
“If these sickening claims are true, Mr. Moore should step aside,” he said in a statement Thursday, according to Alaska Public Media.
Sen Lamar Alexander, Tennessee:
“If these disturbing allegations are true, Roy Moore should withdraw from the Senate race,” he told the Tennessean Thursday.
Sen. John Hoeven, North Dakota:
“…if true, he should step down as a candidate for the Senate,” he tweeted Thursday.
Sen. Jim Risch, Idaho:
“If these allegations are true, Roy Moore must step aside,” he said in a statement Thursday, according to the Spokesman-Review.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma:
“If he’s guilty of what he’s been accused of, he should step down,” he told reporters Friday, according to the Oklahoman.
Sen. James Lankford, Oklahoma:
“Sen. Lankford agrees with Majority Leader McConnell and the White House that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore should step aside,” a spokesman told the Oklahoman.
Sen. David Perdue, Georgia:
“These allegations are very serious and if they’re true then in my opinion he should step down and withdraw from the race,” he said in an interview with C-SPAN that aired Sunday.
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, Texas:
“If it is true, I don’t think his candidacy is sustainable. But we believe in a presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” he said in a statement Monday.
Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas:
“As it stands, I can’t urge the people of Alabama to support a campaign in the face of these charges, without a serious persuasive demonstration that the charges are not true,” Cruz told reporters Monday
Sen. Joni Ernst, Iowa:
“If the allegations are true, he needs to step aside,” a member of her staff said, according to the Des Moines Register.
Rep. Mark Meadows, North Carolina:
“If proven true, Judge Moore should immediately step aside,” he tweeted Thursday.
Sen. Pat Robert, Kansas:
“If the allegations are true, Senator Roberts would urge Roy Moore to step aside,” a spokesperson for Roberts told the Lawrence Journal-World.
Sen. Tim Scott, South Carolina:
“If the allegations are true, he needs to step aside and we should move forward,” he said at an event in Charleston, South Carolina, according to the Post and Courier.
Sen. John Barrasso, Wyoming:
“If true, he should move aside,” he said in an interview with CNBC Monday.
Sen. Mike Enzi, Wyoming:
“Senator Enzi does believe that if the allegations are true that Roy Moore should step aside from the race,” a spokeswoman said.
Republicans who say they’re still supporting Moore:
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey:
“Based on what I know now, yes, I will vote for him,” she told AL.com Monday.
