RNC member resigns over party’s support for Roy Moore

A member of the Republican National Committee (RNC) resigned over the weekend, citing her disgust with the RNC’s support for embattled GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore.

Joyce Simmons, a RNC member from Nebraska, informed RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel of her resignation on Dec. 8. In a Monday statement, Simmons said she was driven to cut ties with the national party over its continued support for Moore after he was accused of romantically and sexually pursuing teenage girls.

“I strongly disagree with the recent RNC financial support directed to the Alabama Republican Party for use in the Roy Moore race,” Simmons said in a statement. 

Simmons cited Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), who has criticized Moore and said over the weekend that the state could “do better.”

“There is much I could say about the situation but I will defer to this weekend’s comments by Senator Shelby. I will miss so many of you that I knew well; and I wish I could have continued my service to the national Republican Party that I used to know well.”

The RNC didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The RNC initially cut ties with Moore amid a cascade of allegations against him from women who said that Moore had engaged in sexual contact with them or sought inappropriate romantic relationships with them while they were teenagers and he was a district attorney.

But President Trump endorsed Moore, saying he doesn’t want the seat in the deep red state to be filled by Democrat Doug Jones.

Following Trump’s endorsement, the RNC quietly reinstated its support for Moore and has directed financial resources to his campaign.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee refused to reinstate its support for Moore, and its chairman, Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), has said that if Moore wins, the Senate should vote to expel him.

According to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, Moore leads Jones by 2.5 points ahead of Tuesday’s special election.

Individual polls results have varied widely. A Fox News survey released Monday found Jones ahead by 10, while an Emerson survey released over the weekend showed Moore in the lead by 9 points.