Paul Ryan is latest to call on Roy Moore to quit U.S. Senate race in Alabama

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Gov. Scott Walker have unequivocally called for Alabama's Roy Moore to quit his U.S. Senate bid, joining a chorus of national Republicans who want him to drop out.

Ryan and Walker, Wisconsin's top two Republicans, made clear they believe the women accusing Moore of pursuing or molesting them decades ago when he was in his 30s and they were teens.

"He should step aside," Ryan said at a news conference in Washington on Tuesday. "Number one, these allegations are credible. Number two, if he cares about the values and the people he claims to care about, then he should step aside."

Last week, the Washington Post reported that the former Alabama state judge initiated a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old and pursued three other teenagers in the 1970s, when he was in his 30s.

Walker issued a statement late Monday flatly saying Moore should get out, just hours after another woman came forward and accused Moore of an alleged sexual assault during the 1970s when she was 16. Moore has denied all the allegations from the five women.

“I believe Roy Moore should step aside,” Walker said in a statement issued by his campaign.

A day earlier, Walker said in a television interview that Moore should step aside only if allegations of sexual misconduct were true.

State Sen. Leah Vukmir, a Brookfield Republican running for U.S. Senate, took a similar stance on Tuesday, after Ryan and Walker took their positions.

Last week, Vukmir said Moore should get out if the allegations were true. But she issued a more strongly worded statement on Tuesday.

“Roy Moore’s conduct as described is very disturbing and should disqualify anyone from serving in public office," Vukmir said in her statement. "The allegations are credible and serious and should be treated as such.”

Vukmir's primary opponent, Kevin Nicholson, last week and Monday said through his campaign that Moore should get out of the race if the allegations are true. He signaled stronger opposition to him on Tuesday.

“There is absolutely no place in our society for this type of alleged behavior," Nicholson said in a statement. "I don't have a vote in Alabama, but if I did and with the information I know today, I would want Roy Moore to move out of the race so that Alabamans could elect a conservative candidate who can ably go to the Senate and help advance and enact the president’s agenda."

Nicholson has won backing from a super PAC affiliated with Steve Bannon, the former adviser to President Donald Trump who has supported Moore and other populists hoping to overthrow Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

Nicholson and Vukmir are seeking the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who last week called for Moore to drop out of the race.

On Monday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told reporters, "It'd be nice if he'd step aside and we could come up with some system for electing a different Republican," according to CNN.