As stories of Roy Moore’s repeat perversity rise to the level where even a few Alabama Republicans have had second thoughts about voting for him, the Republican Party as a whole has a quandary. Alabama was supposed to be a given. It’s their seat. But if Moore stays on the ticket and loses, it will take the already narrow Republican advantage in the Senate even smaller, making it harder to pass the kind of hard-right legislation Trump is so anxious to get to his desk. But legally it’s far too late to replace Moore on the ballot. So the question is … just how will Republicans break democracy to get the results they want?
With less than four weeks until the special election and no sign that the party’s besieged nominee will exit the race, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his top advisers are discussing the legal feasibility of asking appointed Sen. Luther Strange to resign from his seat in order to trigger a new special election.
Strange is an appointed Senator keeping the seat warm while waiting for the already scheduled special election—an election which was moved up by Alabama’s Republican governor to what was supposed to be the earliest reasonable date. Having Strange resign to trigger another special election doesn’t just seem like an attempt to subvert the law … it seems nonsensical.
McConnell aides express caution, saying they're uncertain whether such a move, one of several options being discussed, is even possible. Yet the talks underscore the despair among top Republicans over relinquishing a seat in deep-red Alabama, further diminishing their slim Senate majority.
In the Alabama Senate primary, Republicans voted for a man who broke the law so blatantly that it cost him his spot on the Alabama Supreme Court. Twice. But a law-breaking white supremacist who constantly spreads conspiracy theories about Muslims, immigrants, Blacks and anyone who isn’t the right kind of Christian (that being the un-Christian kind) … was apparently exactly what Alabama voters were looking for. Who knew that someone who had conducted every moment of his public life like a racist car wreck would also have a few skeletons in the closet?
But if Roy Moore never felt like the law applied to him, he’s certainly not alone. And Republicans are hoping that one of McConnell’s “several options” will save them from the prospect of people really getting to vote on the candidate Republicans chose.
On Wednesday, four more woman came forward to allege that Roy Moore—then a 30-something lawyer—made moves on them ranging from inappropriate flirting to outright sexual assault while they were teenagers. That brings the total number of women levying such charges against Moore up to nine.
It’s such a blatant and odious situation that it has Alabama voters just might not vote for Moore. Maybe. Depending on the poll. But Republicans aren’t about to let their Senate seat rest on something as fickle as the will of the voters.
McConnell’s team had been high on the idea of asking Jeff Sessions, who held the Alabama seat for two decades prior to becoming Attorney General, to run as a write-in candidate. But the committee polled the prospect of Sessions waging a write-in bid and the outcome was unfavorable, said three people familiar with the results. Party officials worry that a write-in candidacy would serve only to split the Republican vote and seal a Jones victory.
Guy who mauled teenagers in the backseat of his sedan while he was the district attorney doesn’t look good. Guy who’s been on TV admitting to the Senate that he lied about every single moment of the last year and a half doesn’t look good. What else do they have?
President Donald Trump spoke with McConnell on Wednesday morning and the Alabama race was a major topic of discussion, said several people briefed on the conversation. On Tuesday morning, Shelby spoke with Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. During the discussion, Ivey dismissed the possibility of moving the date of the Dec. 12 election, an idea that had been floated by senior Republicans.
The problem is Ivey already moved the date, declaring that December 12 met the legal requirements to have an election as soon as possible. Moving to a later date would mean selecting a date that didn’t fit the law, And the only reason that Republicans can possibly provide for moving the date is that their candidate’s poll numbers are weak.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Republican Party in Alabama continues to stand behind Moore. Mostly on the basis that molesting a teenager isn’t as bad as saying anything that might boost a Democratic candidate—plus you can’t trust women.
The staunch support of Alabama Republicans continues to generate moments of twisted serendipity.
"I've been with him in probably over 100 different meetings and been around probably an excess of 10,000 different ladies ... not one time have I ever seen him act even remotely inappropriate against any woman," [Moore’s attorney, Phillip Jauregui] added.
Within moments after the news conference wrapped up, a new Moore accuser emerged. Tina Johnson told al.com that Moore grabbed her buttocks during a 1991 meeting at Moore’s law office.
The election less than a month away, and the latest polls seem to indicate that Moore’s support base is eroding … but Republicans are working overtime to make sure that they never have to answer to the voters.