WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump doesn’t know who to believe about sexual misconduct allegations involving Roy Moore, but isn’t campaigning for his party’s Senate candidate in Alabama because of “discomfort” with the claims made by a number of women, aides said Sunday.
One Republican senator urged Alabama voters to reject Moore in the Dec. 12 election even if that could mean ceding the seat to a Democrat and narrowing the GOP’s 52-48 Senate edge. A second GOP lawmaker suggested there was “a strong possibility” that a write-in candidate — “a proven conservative” — could win, though no name was mentioned and Moore has rejected the idea of quitting.
Moore, a former state Supreme Court justice twice removed from office, has denied the accusations that have surfaced only recently about incidents said to have occurred decades ago, and pledged to remain in the race.
The special election will determine who fills the remainder of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ term, until January 2020.
White House aides said Trump had “serious concerns” about Moore, but that Alabamans should decide Moore’s fate against Democrat Doug Jones, a former prosecutor.
“I think that’s probably the most common sense way to look at it. He doesn’t know who to believe. I think a lot of folks don’t,” budget director Mick Mulvaney said.
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