President Trump and former President Barack Obama inserted themselves deeper into the Alabama Senate race, urging voters to show up for Tuesday’s special election that could decide how much leeway Mr. Trump has to pursue his agenda over the next year.
The latest poll from Fox News put Democratic candidate Doug Jones up 10 percentage points over GOP nominee Roy Moore, but Republicans believe the race is winnable — though they remain deeply conflicted over their candidate.
Sen. Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican who will serve alongside the eventual winner, said over the weekend he didn’t vote for Mr. Moore. But Mr. Trump, after first taking an arm’s-length approach, is now all-in, taping a robocall backing the embattled candidate.
“We need Roy voting for us and stopping illegal immigration and crime, rebuilding a stronger military and protecting the Second Amendment and our pro-life values,” Mr. Trump says on the recording.
“But if Alabama elects liberal Democrat Doug Jones, all of our progress will be stopped full,” he adds.
The White House has argued that it’s crucial Republicans keep that seat since the majority in the Senate is very slim. White House aides, and Mr. Trump himself, have said that without a Republican in that seat, tax reform is in jeopardy.
Mr. Obama, who has largely stayed out of political battles since leaving office in January, also weighed in on the race within the last few days. Democrats are hoping that his political weight in the party, aimed largely at blacks and young voters, will help push their candidate, Doug Jones, over the edge.
“Doug Jones is a fighter for equality, for progress,” Mr. Obama says in the recording. “Doug will be our champion for justice. So get out and vote, Alabama.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden has also recorded a robocall on Mr. Jones’ behalf. Mr. Moore has been accused of pursuing sexual relationships with teens — one as young as 14-years-old — as an adult man. He has categorically denied these decades-old claims.
But the accusations have resonated with many voters and have made a reliably Republican state impossible to predict in this election.
Polls have been largely varied with Mr. Moore leading a majority of them, but by smaller margins than expected for a Republican. The Real Clear Politics average had him with a 2.2 point lead.
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who supported Mr. Moore’s campaign from the beginning, rallied with the Republican candidate on the eve of the election.
Despite the more favorable than usual circumstances for Democrats, the White House says that Democrats are not putting as many resources into the race, acknowledging the direction of the country is positive for Republicans.
“You can’t argue with the facts and the figures that motivate people to go to the polls,” Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said Monday on Fox News.
Even if the outcome is positive for Mr. Moore, however, the question remains whether or not the Senate will choose to seat him, and if they do, will they immediately begin an investigation into claims of sexual misconduct.
Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday that he believes it’s unlikely the Senate will refuse to seat a member that was elected by the people, but he did say that Mr. Moore’s victory would immediately put Republicans at a disadvantage in 2018.
“To think you can elect Roy Moore without getting the baggage of Roy Moore is pretty naive. I wish he would’ve stepped aside,” Mr. Graham, South Carolina Republican, said on CNN.
Meanwhile a Democratic congresswoman asked the Senate’s administrative operations to have a plan in place to prevent Mr. Moore from pursuing relationships with teenagers in the chamber’s page program.
“I urge you to be proactive in protecting Senate Pages,” Rep. Gwen S. Moore, Wisconsin Democrat, said in a Dec. 8 letter to the Senate sergeant-at-arms.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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