Dec 12, 2017

2. Republicans return to Moore

Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Mitch McConnell Photo: Andrew Harnik / AP

After President Trump's endorsement of Roy Moore, several prominent Republicans, including Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, backed down from their calls for Moore to step down. Instead, they said that it was up to the people of Alabama to decide. The RNC reinstated its support for Moore — on the same day the DNC called for Sen. Al Franken to resign due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Joyce Simmons, a Republican National Committeewoman from Nebraska, resigned because of the RNC's decision.

Why it matters:

At a time when

powerful men across every industry

are losing their jobs over such allegations, Moore could be elected to the Senate with his party's full support.

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Global: Total confirmed cases as of 2 a.m. ET: 859,796 — Total deaths: 42,332 — Total recoveries: 178,300.
U.S.: Leads the world in confirmed cases. Total confirmed cases as of 2 a.m. ET: 189,618 — Total deaths: 4,079 — Total recoveries: 7,109.
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Federal government latest: President Trump said the next two weeks would be "very painful," with projections indicating the virus could kill 100,000–240,000 Americans.
Coronavirus in custody: Inmates in all U.S. federal prisons are set to enter a 14-day quarantine on April 1. A federal judge on Tuesday ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release 10 detained immigrants who are at risk of contracting COVID-19 while in confinement.
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