Skip to content

Moore Should Step Aside, Ryan Says

Speaker joins growing chorus of GOP leaders opposing Alabama nominee

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan is the latest in a growing group of GOP leaders to call for Alabama GOP Senate nominee Roy Moore to drop out of the race amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

“He should step aside,” Speaker Paul D. Ryan said. “These allegations are credible. If he cares about the values that he claims to care about, then he should step aside.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose Senate seat Moore aims to fill, said he believed the allegations against Moore.

“I have no reason to doubt these young women,” he said. Sessions added the DOJ ethics department advised him that an attorney general shouldn’t get involved in the campaign.

Who in Congress Is Pushing Roy Moore to Drop Senate Bid?

Loading the player...

Moore won the GOP nod over Rep. Mo Brooks and appointed incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, who was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Sessions when President Donald Trump tapped him for attorney general.

Monday Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also called for Moore to end his bid.

The seat is rated Likely Republican by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales.

[Sign up for At the Races, a weekly newsletter of Roll Call’s congressional campaign coverage.]

Recent Stories

Capitol Lens | O’s face

Mayorkas impeachment headed to Senate for April 11 trial

Muslim American appeals court nominee loses Democratic support

At the Races: Lieberman lookback

Court says South Carolina can use current congressional map

Joseph Lieberman: A Capitol life in photos