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Senate Leadership Fund Pledges to Support Moore

The McConnell-aligned group had supported Moore’s opponent in the GOP primary

Judge Roy Moore campaign worker Maggie Ford collects campaign signs after the U.S. Senate candidate forum held by the Shelby County Republican Party in Pelham, Ala., on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. Moore won the special election GOP runoff to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, according to preliminary results from the AP. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Judge Roy Moore campaign worker Maggie Ford collects campaign signs after the U.S. Senate candidate forum held by the Shelby County Republican Party in Pelham, Ala., on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. Moore won the special election GOP runoff to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, according to preliminary results from the AP. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

The Super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell signaled Tuesday night it would back Judge Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race, despite spending millions to defeat him in the GOP primary.

Senate Leadership Fund president and CEO Steven Law issued a statement Tuesday night conceding Moore was likely to win the Republican runoff over Sen. Luther Strange, even before news outlets called the race for Moore.

“While we were honored to have fought hard for Big Luther, Judge Roy Moore won this nomination fair and square and he has our support, as it is vital that we keep this seat in Republican hands.”

SLF spent millions in the GOP primary. Law estimated last week it will have spent $5 million on the runoff alone. Law’s statement Tuesday night signaled SLF would still back Moore even though Moore has sharply criticized McConnell and GOP leadership.

“Mitch McConnell needs to be replaced!” Moore told a cheering crowd at his campaign rally Monday night. “Your vote, your vote tomorrow may determine that.”

If Moore wins Tuesday night, he will face Democrat Doug Jones in the Dec. 12 general election. The winner will serve out the rest of former Sen. Jeff Sessions’ term. Sessions left the Senate to become Trump’s attorney general.

Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the Alabama Likely Republican.

Simone Pathe contributed to this report. 

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