Tillis, Burr Withdraw Support for Embattled US Senate Candidate Roy Moore

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Both senators representing North Carolina on Capitol Hill, Thom Tillis and Richard Burr, have publicly withdrawn support from Alabama’s Republican U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore.

The allegations leveled at Roy Moore are disturbing. I have serious concerns about his prior conduct and fitness for office. He should immediately withdraw from the race.

— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) November 13, 2017

Tillis and Burr join a growing list of senate Republicans ending their support for Moore after two women made allegations that nearly 40 years ago Moore sexually assaulted them as underage teenagers while he was in his early thirties. Three other women attest to having ‘dating’ relationships with Moore while they were teenagers and he was in his thirties, though all three were of the age of consent at the time.

The Alabama race is to replace the seat vacated by former Sen. Jeff Sessions (R) when he accepted the position of U.S. Attorney General in the administration of President Donald Trump.

The allegations range from inappropriate to illegal acts with teenagers by Moore, creating a firestorm of denouncements of the former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and surprise winner of the special election Republican primary over the appointed incumbent Sen. Luther Strange.

Popular reactions have varied from presumed guilt and condemnation, to skepticism of the allegations and their timing so close to the election.

The importance of the special election cannot be underestimated, as a Republican loss will narrow their majority in the Senate to just 51 and make passing an agenda of tax cuts, Obamacare repeal, and other Republican policy goals extremely difficult.

Some polls have show the news to be hurting Moore’s popularity in favor of Democratic opponent Doug Jones, while others maintain Moore with a significant lead. The special election is scheduled for December 12.