Nov 11, 2017

GOP fears Roy Moore will cost them a Senate seat

Mike Allen, author of AM

Former Alabama Chief Justice and U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore as he arrived to his election party on Sept. 26, 2017, in Montgomery, Ala. Photo: Brynn Anderson / AP

After the allegations against Roy Moore, and his subsequent response — in which he didn't rule out dating teenage girls while in his 30s — "some GOP political operatives fear Roy Moore could lose the race" and cost the party a Senate seat, AP reports.

What we're hearing: A Republican close to Senate Republican leadership believes the party's effort to get Moore out of the race will fail.

Per AP:

  • Moore "emphatically rejected increasing pressure to abandon his Senate bid as fears grew among GOP leaders that a once-safe Senate seat was in jeopardy just a month before a [Dec.] 12 special election."
  • "Asked if that would have been usual for him, Moore said, 'Not generally, no. ... I don't remember ever dating any girl without the permission of her mother."

Be smart: If you're in your 30s and you need to ask the mother's permission, date someone else.

Go deeper: How Republicans are trying to stop Roy Moore from joining the Senate.

UPDATE: A Republican close to McConnell said that contrary to the view we originally reported here, McConnell has "led the pack on Moore from day one": "McConnell is a very pragmatic guy, but he's very principled guy. And he's willing to lose the seat to prevent someone who's guilty of these things from taking it."

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