By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
After a week of speculation, the Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee reaffirmed its support for U.S. Senate nominee Roy Moore.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan said in a statement regarding the U.S. Senate election: “On Wednesday evening, the Alabama Republican Party Steering Committee, comprised of 21 members, met to discuss the events and circumstances regarding the December 12 U.S. Senate race. The ALGOP Steering Committee supports Judge Roy Moore as our nominee and trusts the voters as they make the ultimate decision in this crucial race.”
“Judge Moore has vehemently denied the allegations made against him,” said Lathan. “He deserves to be presumed innocent of the accusations unless proven otherwise. He will continue to take his case straight to the people of Alabama.”
“There is a sharp policy contrast between Judge Moore, a conservative Republican who supports President Trump, and the liberal Democrat who will fight and thwart the agenda of our president. We trust the Alabama voters in this election to have our beloved state and nation’s best interest at heart,” Lathan continued.
The state party had been pressured by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and the Washington establishment to de-certify Moore as the Republican candidate and support a write-in candidacy.
The Alabama Republican Party leadership rejected all calls to de-certify.
“Alabamians will be the ultimate jury in this election- not the media or those from afar,” Lathan said.
Moore Campaign Chairman Bill Armistead said in a statement: “I appreciate Chairman Terry Lathan and the Alabama Republican Party standing strong behind Judge Moore. As Chairman Lathan alluded, there are sharp policy differences between Judge Moore and the Democratic nominee. Judge Moore will work closely with President Trump to rebuild a strong military, confirm strict constitutionalists to the courts, and reform and simplify the tax code, while the Democratic nominee supports Obamacare, partial-birth abortion and far-left liberals on the Supreme Court.”
“The political establishment and the national media have put a bullseye on Judge Moore because he’s a conservative outsider who will go to Washington to fight for our values, but the voters of Alabama – the people who know him best – aren’t fooled by these tricks and lies,” Armistead said. “Judge Moore will spend the next three weeks traveling the state and speaking directly to the voters about job growth, tax reform, rebuilding the military, and stopping the overreach of liberal judges.”
Moore easily overcame Sen. Luther Strange in the Republican Party runoff and was cruising toward what appeared to be an easy victory over Democratic opponent Doug Jones; until his campaign was torpedoed by the Washington Post; when it produced four women who claimed that they dated Moore in the 1970s. Most damning was a claim by Leigh Korfman that Moore undressed her and the two had some inappropriate touching with their underwear on in 1979 when Moore was a 32 year old Etowah County Deputy District Attorney and Korfman was just 14. Since then, there have been more women and more allegations.
“We are very grateful for the multitudes that have reached out to us with support and prayers” Lathan said. “We ask God to guide us, politically and personally, with His mighty strength and wisdom. In turn, we also pray that justice and truth will prevail for all involved in this situation.”
The Republican National Committee has pulled all of its people out of the state of Alabama and has repudiated a joint fundraising agreement with the Moore campaign.
The special election will be on Dec. 12, 2017.
