The Republican National Committee reversed its decision to withdraw financial support from Roy Moore’s Senate campaign last week, in the wake of President Trump’s endorsement and Moore’s gains in the polls.
Some members of the RNC—state-level committeemen, commiteewomen, and state chairs—saw the decision as a correction of course, while others viewed it as a failure of moral leadership on the part of their party.
The former federal judge, who was twice removed from the bench, stands credibly accused of sexually assaulting two minors and pursuing multiple teenaged girls when he was in his 30s. Moore lost the support of the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee last month, as an increasing number of women came forward with disturbing allegations.
After taking a hit in the polls when the story first broke, Moore rebounded and gained on Democratic candidate Doug Jones, and then won the president’s unequivocal support. The RNC changed course and resumed funding the controversial candidate, while the NRSC stayed firmly opposed.
Thirteen members of the RNC told THE WEEKLY STANDARD where they stand on the matter. Five are state committeemen, and seven current or former committeewomen—six of whose responses we reported previously, along with that of the lone party chairman to answer our queries.
Nevada committeewoman Diana Orrock told THE WEEKLY STANDARD she was “happy to see that they decided to resume funding Roy Moore’s campaign,” adding that she finds the women’s accusations to be “nothing but ridiculous.”
Henry Barbour, RNC committeeman for Moore’s neighboring state of Mississippi, takes the accusations far more seriously.
“I do not support Roy Moore, nor would I support any candidate with the sort of allegations that have been made against him,” Barbour wrote in an email to TWS.
Committeeman Bruce Ash of Arizona, on the other hand, deferred to the people of Alabama while adding his own support for Moore’s campaign. “The people of Alabama have a choice to make, and my strong sense is they will reject Mr. Jones in favor of a future U.S. Senator who will best represent their views and values,” Ash wrote. “That person is Roy Moore.”
From Ohio, committeeman Jim Dicke II equivocated with an eye for political expediency. “My own view is that the party did the right thing when the charges first surfaced,” he noted. “And when the information was more forthcoming, that the party did the right thing reversing itself.” Dicke went on, “This has less to do with money than accessing the normal ‘get out the vote’ apparatus.”
New Jersey’s committeeman Bill Palatucci had spoken to the press previously on the matter of the RNC’s support for Moore. He referred TWS to his prior remarks, writing in an email, “See my comments at Buzzfeed before the RNC pulled out initially.”
“If they asked me,” he told BuzzFeed last month, “I’d tell them to put RNC resources elsewhere.” Accusations against the candidate “are so numerous and carry the ring of truth,” he wrote in an email at the time: “In my opinion he is unfit to be a candidate or serve in public office at any level.”
“My feelings have not changed,” Palatucci told TWS.
Mark Kahrs, committeeman of Kansas, called over the weekend to say his feelings hadn’t changed either. “I was opposed to them when they cut ties with him,” he said, of the RNC.
“I never understood that. I made my concern known to Ronna [Romney McDaniel, chairwoman of the RNC], and I’m happy to see that we are supporting our Republican nominee in Alabama. That’s what the RNC’s job is to do: Support Republicans.”
Of the accusations, he believes, “They are completely 100 percent politically driven.” Although investigation, he added, is not unwarranted. “And until these allegation are proven,” Kahrs said, “I think it’s ridiculous for the party not to stand by our nominee.”
The special election takes place Tuesday, December 12. And as of this writing, Roy Moore leads the polls.
This story will be updated as other members respond.
