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Poll: Minority of Republicans Want Moore Out of Alabama Senate Race

Survey shows doubts about well-documented allegations

Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore, is questioned by the media in the Capitol on Oct. 31. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore, is questioned by the media in the Capitol on Oct. 31. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Just 30 percent of Republicans responding to a new national poll think former judge Roy Moore should end his bid for the Senate in Alabama.

That is despite detailed allegations of sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior.

The Economist/YouGov survey, conducted  Nov. 19-21,  found 30 percent of Republican respondents thought Moore should drop out of the Alabama Senate race, with another 35 percent being undecided about what the GOP nominee should do.

The identified Republicans were a subset of a 1,500-person poll conducted through web-based interviews over three days, with a margin of error reported at 3.3 percentage points for the overall survey, with weighted totals. The margin of error for the 382 identified Republicans was 6.4 percentage points.

YouGov_MooreGR

In a related question, a majority of Republicans seemed to have lingering doubts about the veracity of the claims against Moore. Just nine percent of GOP respondents said Moore “definitely did it” regarding the reported inappropriate sexual conduct with high school students when Moore was a prosecutor in his thirties.

YouGov_Moorev2-02

Some 26 percent of the Republicans said Moore is “probably” responsible for the alleged acts, while the remaining population either thinks he did not do it or is unsure about what happened.

Moore’s campaign was defiant Tuesday, trying to discredit his accusers and once again refusing to answer reporters’ questions about the allegations at an afternoon press conference.

The Economist/YouGov results might also cast some light on the thinking of President Donald Trump, who has even left the door open to going to Alabama to campaign for Moore.

“I mean, Roy Moore denies it. By the way, he gives a total denial,” Trump said Tuesday. “And I do have to say: 40 years is a long time. … The women are Trump voters. Most of them are Trump voters. All you can do is you have to do what you have to do. He totally denies it.”

John T. Bennett contributed to this report.

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