Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore is crashing and burning as yet another woman has come forward accusing the former judge of sexual abuse. Moore has seen his support wither in recent days, but this latest claim will only increase the pressure on his few remaining supporters.
Nobody in the Republican Party is daring to voice their support for Moore, and the last remaining holdouts are officially jumping ship, and among them is Senator Ted Cruz.
As reported at the Hill, Cruz withdrew his support from Alabama GOP Senate nominee Roy Moore on Monday, saying the various allegations of sexual misconduct should be reviewed by prosecutors.
“As it stands, I can’t urge the people of Alabama to support a campaign in the face of these charges without serious, persuasive demonstration that the charges are not true,” the conservative told reporters.
“Both last week and this week, there are serious charges of criminal conduct that if true, not only make him unfit to serve in the Senate but merit criminal prosecution,” he added.
Cruz made the announcement just hours after a fifth woman came forward during a press conference and accused Moore of sexual misconduct when she was a minor.
The woman, Beverly Young Nelson, claims that Moore sexually assaulted her in the back of a diner parking lot in 1977 when she was 16 years old. Moore was serving as the Etowah County district attorney at the time. Moore is also accused of fondling another underage girl and pursuing relationships with several others.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who didn’t support Moore in the Republican primary, led a chorus of senators Monday calling for him to withdraw from the race.
Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), the chairman of the Senate’s GOP campaign arm, said that even should he win, the chamber will attempt to expel him from Congress immediately.
Needless to say, what should have been an easy victory is turning into a nightmare for the GOP. The way things are looking, it’s very likely the GOP will be down a Senate seat by the end of the year, which is the last thing the party needs heading into the 2018 midterms.
Source: Hill