GOP leaders opposed to Roy Moore in Alabama

Republicans in Washington are resolute against judge Roy MooreRoy Stewart Moore GOP Strategist: Alabama Republicans Must "Rally" A Candidate Who Is Not Roy Moore The Hill's Report – Morning Trump Comics Trying Pelosi Before The Report Of The Russia Poll: Roy Moore leads GOP Alabama READ MORE to be the candidate of the Senate Party in Alabama next year and say that they will do everything in their power to prevent this from happening.

Moore is expected to announce his decision to challenge Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.), One of the Republicans' main targets, and a new poll shows him at the head of a group of possible Senate candidates. of the GOP.

Moore, 72, lost to Jones in a special election in 2017 after several women accused him of making sexual advances on them while they were teenagers and that he was in his thirties.

Senior Senate officials say it would be a disaster if Moore was appointed by the party.

"That would be the top priority, ensuring that he does not win the primary," said a Republican Senate strategist. "I do not think that will happen."

A Mason-Dixon poll released Tuesday showed that Moore was leading a group of potential Republican candidates, with 27 percent support among registered Republicans.

The second, former representative Mo BrooksMorris (MB) Jackson BrooksPoll: Roy Moore at the head of Alabama GOP Alabama Holocaust Commission condemns use by GOP legislator of Hitler's phrase "big lie" The Loyalist of Trump, Gaetz, considering a Senate candidacy in Alabama MORE (R-Ala.), Collected 18 percent, while Rep. Bradley ByrneBradley Roberts ByrneGOP Strategist: Alabama Republicans Must "Rally" a Candidate Who Is Not Roy Moore Hill's Report – Morning Trump Hits Pelosi Before Russia's Report Senators in escheat fill their coffers before 2020 MORE (R-Ala.) Records 13%.

The GOP strategist questioned the importance of the survey, arguing that "it's too early."

A second GOP strategist in the Senate said, "If Roy Moore wins the nomination, the Republicans lose their seats. Complete stop. "

"There is no way on earth to nominate Roy Moore so he can turn around and give the seat back to the Democrats. It's a seat that belongs to the Republicans of Alabama and not to Democrats, "added the strategist.

The strategist said McConnell was in tune with the Republican National Senate Committee and that "every Republican in the Senate interested in passing a law or stopping one in the Senate".

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellReport 12:30 am Hill: Trump prepares publication of report Mueller McConnell boasts Trump support, Supreme Court fights for re-election video Why Ken Cuccinelli should it be Trump's choice for DHS PLUS (R-Ky.) Called Moore to "retire" in 2017 after stories that he would sue teenagers would have come forward. "I believe women," McConnell said at the time.

Bill Armistead, chairman of Moore's 2017 campaign, declined to comment on Senate Republicans' opposition to Moore's candidacy in 2020.

Last weekend, Moore had told Republican activists that he would announce his decision regarding the holding of a Senate in the next few weeks.

In an interview with American Family Radio last month, Moore said he "seriously considered it" and said the 2017 Senate race was "stolen".

If Moore presents himself, the question of whether President TrumpDonald John TrumpHouse Dems asks Barr to cancel his "inappropriate" press conference on the Mueller report The DOJ plans to release a "slightly redacted" version of the Mueller report on Thursday: WaPo Nadler accuses Barr of "unprecedented measures" for "edit" the Mueller PLUS report would support him.

Trump approved Moore in the 2017 special election, when other Republicans called Moore to retire.

"The most influential person in the primary downstairs would be Donald Trump because everyone saw what his support did for Ron DeSantisRonald Dion DeSantisWorkers discovers 27 possible graves near Florida's oldest reform school. The Trump administration renews its interest in drilling at sea in Florida: report that Trump will visit Florida Friday to discuss infrastructure projects near Lake Okeechobee PLUSSo that's perhaps the most important thing, "said Jim McLaughlin, a Republican pollster who has worked in Alabama. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took the win in 2018 with Trump's approval.

Trump followed McConnell's example during the special primaries of 2017 by endorsing the outgoing GOP president, the former Sen. Luther StrangeLuther Johnson StrangeNational campaigns of influence borrowed from the Russian paperback Overnight Defense: the Senate loses its money with the vote of the war in Yemen and a resolution declaring the crown prince responsible for the murder of Khashoggi | House Briefing on Saudi Arabia Fails Inhofe Challenges Space Force Five Things to Watch for in the Mississippi Senate Run MORE (R-Ala.), But the move returned to Moore when he was upset. It was one of the few times Trump was out of step with Republican primary voters.

If Trump approved Moore, it could pave the way for victory in the primaries, if not the general election.

Moore is expected to win the majority of votes in the primary on March 3, 2020 to avoid a second round in April.

McLaughlin says it's unlikely that Trump will support Moore in a primary after losing what the Republicans initially thought was a guaranteed victory for the GOP in the 2017 special election of the former Senator. Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsThe problem of Trump's nominees Juan Williams: the price to pay for Trump Trump is learning to love acting officials MOREThe seat (R-Ala.).

"I think after all that has happened, I do not see the White House being a big fan of Roy Moore at the moment," he said.

Republicans in the Senate control 53 seats, but the 2020 electoral map favors Democrats. GOP candidates will have to defend 22 seats – including Colorado and Maine, who voted for Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonMcAuliffe says that he will not be running for president in 2020 Chuck Todd says the DOJ has informed Trump of Mueller's findings: "It's a real collusion" Crowdfund's campaign to help black churches affected by the fires is over in 2016.

Democratic Leader in the Senate Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerSchumer accuses the Justice Department of reporting "pre-injury control" in the Mueller Report Night Health Care – Presented by PCMA – Sanders Welcomes Trump Struggle Against "Medicare for all "| DOJ lawyer in the ObamaCare case leaving | NYC mayor defends vaccination mandate | The Ohio Government signs a "heart-beating" abortion bill Dems leaves room for Abrams in a crowded presidential field MORE (D-N.Y.) Must win four or three seats and democratic control of the White House to become the leader of the majority. This task becomes more difficult if Jones loses his reelection – which many in Washington believe is likely unless he runs against a particularly weak Republican candidate.

Jones, a former prosecutor, became the first Democrat to win a Senate race in Alabama in 25 years by beating Moore easily among women and graduate voters – two demographic characteristics that McConnell identified as key targets in 2020.

Jones surpassed Moore by 16 points among voters and by 11 points among college graduates, according to exit polls.

McConnell told reporters last week that his priority for 2020 was to improve the performance of GOP candidates among women and graduate voters.

McConnell thinks Republicans have lost important races in the Senate and House in 2018 because "we were crushed in the suburbs".

"We lost graduates and women in the suburbs, which led the House to lose in the suburbs of Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Charleston, South Carolina," he said. a small group of journalists last week. "We are determined not to lose women, certainly not 19 points, and college graduates in our Senate races and I do not think we will," he said.

Moore's bid in Alabama could also hurt Republicans running in other states as Democrats seek to connect Moore with his problems and possible GOP colleagues.

Washington Republicans must, however, pay attention to the way they approach Moore.

He used his support for Strange in 2017 against the incumbent Senator by stepping up his assault on the establishment of the GOP. It was an effective tactic at a time when many Republican primary voters were bitterly disappointed that the party did not repeal the Affordable Care Act in the summer of this year.

Moore attacked Strange in his latest debate to be the recipient of ads funded by the Senate Fund for Leadership, a super PAC associated with McConnell.

Moore has attacked what he called the "slanderous, false and deceptive ads" funded by Washington by "a Super PAC designed to keep people there, they want to stay there".