The latest survey of the Alabama Republican Senate primary has Judge Roy Moore leading Sen. Luther Strange, 54-46. The poll was conducted for Fox 10 News by Strategy Research on Wednesday. It surveyed by telephone 2,000 Republicans who have voted at least once in the last 4 elections and said they planned to vote next week.
This result means that Moore has led Strange in all ten of the independent polls taken of this race, according to Jonathan Gray of Strategy Research.
Despite Strange’s seemingly hopeless position, President Trump has doubled down on his support, announcing that he will campaign for the Senator this weekend. According to the Strategy Research poll, Trump’s endorsement has influenced 20 percent of Republicans voters, leaving the remaining 80 percent unaffected.
Trump, then, has probably helped Strange eat into what was once a lead perhaps twice as big as the one Moore now holds. But it seems unlikely that he will be able to push Strange over the finish line.
To make matters worse for Strange, Ben Carson has endorsed Moore. The HUD Secretary stated:
Judge Moore is a fine man of proven character and integrity, who I have come to respect over the years.
He is truly someone who reflects the Judeo-Christian values that were so important to the establishment of our country.It is these values that we must return to make America great again. I wish him well and hope everyone will make sure they vote on Tuesday.
Carson doesn’t expressly urge people to vote for Moore, but it’s clear that he supports the former Judge. It seems unusual for a Cabinet member to back a candidate running against the one endorsed by the president, but these are unusual times.
Again, the question must be asked: Why is President Trump going to Alabama this weekend to campaign for a candidate trailing so badly to a candidate who backs Trump’s populist-nationalist agenda? The answer, I think, is that he’s doing it as a favor to the Senate GOP leadership.
Wouldn’t it be better, though, for Trump to keep the Senate leadership happy by being less eager to cut deals with Chuck Schumer, rather than by backing losing candidates running against conservative populists?
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