Idaho’s Risch and Crapo keep a wait-and-see approach as Moore allegations deepen

Even as top Senate Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, called for GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama to step aside amid increasing turmoil over sex allegations, Idaho’s two GOP senators maintained their qualified stance that Moore should step down “if these allegations are true.”

That’s what McConnell had been saying previously, but on Monday, he said he believes the women who were quoted in a Washington Post story about Moore’s past relationships with them as young teenagers, including one who described sexual contact when she was just 14; an additional accuser came forward Monday. McConnell said Moore “should step aside.”

Idaho Sen. Jim Risch had issued a statement on Thursday, saying, “If these allegations are true, Roy Moore must step aside.”

On Monday, his press secretary, Kaylin Minton, said, “Senator Risch’s position has not changed and he does not have any further comments at this time.”

Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the state’s senior senator, was tied up in tax bill hearings until Monday evening, but he emerged and had this comment on Moore: “If these allegations prove to be true, he should withdraw from the race.”