Senate Republicans are hoping President Trump will speak up and come out against Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore as the GOP continues to distance itself from Moore’s campaign amid allegations of sexual improprieties with teenage girls.
One Republican senator said he thinks Trump “could help in this situation,” while a second said “it’s time” for the president to take a position on Moore’s candidacy.
Trump returned late Tuesday from his 12-day trip to Asia, but has remained mum on the Moore situation since Friday. Since then, Republicans and conservatives have increasingly moved against Moore as Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called for him to be expelled if elected. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said expulsion proceedings would likely begin soon after his swearing in if he wins on Dec. 12.
Influential conservatives have also spoken out this week against Moore, including some strong supporters of the president. Fox News’ Sean Hannity called Tuesday night for Moore to explain himself in the next 24 hours or to leave the race, while Matt Drudge, the editor of the influential Drudge Report, referred to Moore as “JUDGE WHORE” on the site earlier Wednesday. Now Republican senators believe it’s time for Trump to make his mark.
“I think he will [weigh in], and I think he should.” Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said. “It’s time.”
“For a long time, I was waiting ’til all of the evidence came in and all that, but I’m to the point now where I’m satisfied, and I think most people are, that the guy probably shouldn’t be seated,” Inhofe said. “I think the president — I anticipate he will weigh in on that.”
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., one of five Republican senators who initially endorsed Moore prior to the onslaught of allegations, concurred. He argued Trump could be of help less than a month out from the election.
“I respect President Trump’s leadership greatly, and I think he could help in this situation,” said Daines, who is one of the four who have retracted their endorsements. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is the only sitting Republican senator who has not done so.
Some Republicans, however, understand the predicament Trump faces. With Republicans short on time to find a potential write-in candidate, some are skeptical that he will for that reason specifically.
“I think he’d have to consider whether it would make any difference this late,” said Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., who also said he plans to vote for a write-in candidate in the election. “If he weighed in, can you get another candidate? That’s the problem.”
Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he spoke to the president about the situation on Friday while Trump was in Vietnam. He also said that he has spoken with Vice President Mike Pence and John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, in recent days.
The Senate Republican leader floated Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the previous occupant of the seat, as someone who could win a write-in campaign. However, he isn’t sure how interested Sessions would be in the idea, leaving Republicans short on good ideas at this late stage in the game.
“As you can see, this is a heck of a dilemma for us,” McConnell told the Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council.
Trump endorsed appointed Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., in the September primary, warning that Moore would be a weaker general election candidate.
Despite the lack of good options, Republicans are not ready to concede the seat in the deep-red state, and most are also not ready to say they’d support Democrat Doug Jones over Moore.
“No, I don’t,” Inhofe said when asked if he’d support Jones in the race over Moore. “I don’t want to lose the seat.”
