Which GOP senators have withdrawn support for Roy Moore?
More than a handful of Republican senators have withdrawn support for GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore, who faces new allegations involving a sexual encounter he had with a 14-year-old girl and 16-year-old girl when he was in his early 30s.
- Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana
- Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine
- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas
- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas
- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana
- Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado
- Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina
- Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah
- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah
- Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky
- Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania
Moore has been defiant and has denied the allegations that were reported by The Washington Post last week. He has even threatened to sue the newspaper. Another woman spoke publicly Monday, alleging that Moore assaulted her when she was 16 years old.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said earlier in the day that Roy Moore "should step aside" from his Senate bid in light of the allegations.
The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, not only withdrew support for Moore on Monday, but said that the upper chamber should vote to expel him if need-be.
"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.
Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, also withdrew their support for Moore on Monday.
"I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best if Roy would just step aside," Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
More outspoken Republican Senators who did not support Moore originally have also weighed in -- Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, delivered a brief but sharp statement on Moore, calling the allegations against Moore "deeply disturbing and disqualifying."
"He should immediately step aside and allow the people of Alabama to elect a candidate they can be proud of," he added.
Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, also called for Moore to step aside, tweeting his response to supporters continuing to stand by the candidate amid the allegations, "Come on, Republicans. Is this who we are? This cannot be who we are," he wrote.
Cassidy has also withdrawn support for Moore, who's running for the Senate seat in Alabama.
On Friday, Lee and Daines rescinded their endorsements of Moore.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, withdrew his support via Twitter Monday afternoon.
The special election in Alabama is scheduled for Dec. 12.
