GOP official says he’d vote for Moore even if allegations are true

An Alabama Republican official said Thursday that he would still vote for Roy Moore for Senate, even if the allegations that he had a sexual encounter with a minor are true.

Bibb County Republican Chairman Jerry Pow told the Toronto Star’s Daniel Dale that he would vote for Moore, the GOP candidate in the Alabama Senate race, regardless of the allegations rather than vote for Democratic candidate Doug Jones, an exchange that Dale posted on Twitter.

“I would vote for Judge Moore because I wouldn’t want to vote for Doug,” Pow said. “I’m not saying I support what he did.”

After a long pause, Alabama Bibb County Republican chairman Jerry Pow tells me he’d vote for Roy Moore even if Moore did commit a sex crime against a girl.

“I would vote for Judge Moore because I wouldn’t want to vote for Doug,” he says. “I’m not saying I support what he did.”

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 9, 2017

A bombshell report from The Washington Post revealed Thursday several allegations about Moore engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct several decades ago, including with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32.

{mosads}Dale spoke with several other Alabama county officials who said they would still vote for Moore, dismissing the allegations as a Democratic strategy to discredit the candidate.

Mobile County Republican Chairman John Skipper said the allegations were “bunk.”

“It does not really surprise me. I think it is a typical Democratic — Democrat — ploy to discredit Judge Moore, a sincere, honest, trustworthy individual,” Skipper said. “These allegations that surfaced today — to my knowledge, they’re all bunk. No credibility whatsoever.”

Alabama Mobile County GOP chairman John Skipper: “It does not really surprise me. I think it is a typical Democratic – Democrat – ploy to discredit Judge Moore, a sincere, honest, trustworthy individual.”

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) November 9, 2017

Several GOP lawmakers have urged Moore to step down from his position as the Republican candidate in the Alabama Senate race, “if the allegations are true.” Only a few, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), have said unequivocally that Moore should step aside.

Moore denied the allegations, calling them “fake news” and a baseless attack on him by The Washington Post.

Moore beat Trump-backed Sen. Luther Strange in the GOP primary runoff earlier this year and has been seen as the favorite to win the Alabama Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.