Most Republicans believe the sexual assault allegations against US Senate hopeful Roy Moore are false, according to a new poll.
The poll, released Sunday by CBS News, shows that the Alabama Republican leads his Democratic opponent Doug Jones by six percentage points.
Moore was leading Democrat Doug Jones 49 to 43 percent among voters likely to cast ballots in the Dec. 12 special election, CBS said.
Among all registered voters the contest between the two candidates is an even 50/50 chance, the network said.
Moore, 71, has been accused of sexually assaulting nine different women when they were teenagers and he was in his early 30s. Eight of them claim they were teenagers when the then-judge pursued them – one as young as 14-years-old.
Most Republicans believe the sexual assault allegations against US Senate hopeful Roy Moore (pictured Monday November 27) are false, according to a new poll
The poll, released Sunday by CBS News, shows that the Alabama Republican leads his Democratic opponent Doug Jones (pictured on Tuesday November 28) by six percentage points
According to the CBS poll, 71 percent of Alabama Republicans say the allegations against Moore are false, and believe that Democrats and the media are behind the accusations
Since the women came forward Moore has unleashed vicious attacks against them in an attempt to discredit their statement.
Following the allegations a number of Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, John McCain and even Ivanka Trump have denounced Moore and called for him to step down from the race.
But McConnell said on Sunday that if Moore is elected, the Senate will swear him in and then the Senate ethics committee would decide whether to investigate the allegations.
‘We’ll swear in whoever’s elected and see where we are at that point,’ McConnell said on CBS’ Face the Nation.
‘We can’t stop him from being seated,’ said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who was also interviewed on CBS.
‘If there was an (ethics) investigation and all six members of the committee said they believe he was a child molester, that would be a problem.’
According to the CBS poll, 71 percent of Alabama Republicans say the allegations against Moore are false, and believe that Democrats and the media are behind the accusations.
According to the CBS poll, 71 percent of Alabama Republicans say the allegations against Moore are false, and believe that Democrats and the media are behind the accusations. He was accused of sexually assault by nine women
Another poll a day earlier had Democrat Jones barely ahead.
The Washington Post-Schar School poll said Jones’ support among likely voters stood at 50 percent, versus Moore’s 47 percent.
President Donald Trump originally backed Moore’s opponent in the Republican primary, Senator Luther Strange.
But Trump has since defended Moore, noting Moore has denied allegations of sexual misconduct. The president says he does not want Moore’s Democratic opponent to win.
But at the White House last week President Trump all but endorsed the republican nominee when asked about the scandal.
‘Well he denies it,’ Trump told reporters. ‘Look he denies it. He says it didn’t happen, and you know, you have to listen to him also.’
He then went on to explain why it would be more of a problem to have a Democrat in that seat than an accused child molester.
Trump is slated to travel to a rally in Pensacola, Florida on Friday — a city just across the state line from Alabama — just days ahead of the Alabama election. The timing and location gives Trump an opportunity to express support for Moore.
Republicans hold a slim 52-48 majority in the Senate and are eager to maintain their advantage to advance Trump’s legislative agenda on taxes, healthcare and other priorities.