IN ALABAMA, ROBO DON IS ON THE LINE
Trump backs Moore in recorded call
WASHINGTON — President Trump has doubled down on his support for embattled GOP U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, recording a robocall to urge Alabamians to vote for the controversial former state judge despite multiple allegations of past sexual misconduct with girls as young as 14 years old.
But Republicans in Washington and across the country see the race as a no-win situation. If Moore loses to Democrat Doug Jones,
Republicans’ already slim two-seat majority in the Senate would be cut in half.
If Moore wins, he could bring even more headaches for Republicans, joining a GOP Senate conference filled with members who would prefer he not be there — including Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) — and adding fuel to what is quickly becoming a Republican civil war on Capitol Hill.
Still Trump, who gave fullthroated support for Moore last week at a rally near the Alabama border in Pensacola, Fla., recorded a phone message that will go out to Alabama voters.
“We need Roy voting for us and stopping illegal immigration and crime, rebuilding a stronger military and protecting the Second Amendment and our pro-life values,” Trump’s recorded call, which began going out last night, said. “But if Alabama elects liberal Democrat Doug Jones, all of our progress will be stopped full.”
Republicans in Washington and throughout the country worry that there could be even more negative fallout from a Moore victory.
For starters, it could serve as a playbook to boost efforts by former Trump administration strategist Steve Bannon, who backs Moore and who has declared war on Washington Republican congressional incumbents and backed a series of candidates to oust them.
“I shudder to think of the crackpots that will be emboldened with a child predator’s win,” said Floridabased GOP strategist Alex Patton. “I also think the damage done to 2018 is significant, and that may stop good GOP candidates from running.”
While some Republicans, including National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), have openly called for Moore to be expelled if he wins, others including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have stopped short of that, perhaps worried that expelling Moore would give Democrats a chance to pick up a precious red state seat. McConnell, who initially openly pondered plans to find a candidate to launch a write-in campaign to defeat Moore, shifted his tone in recent weeks and said in the race for Alabama, voters will decide.
But McConnell said a Senate Ethics Committee investigation would be awaiting Moore should he arrive at the Capitol.