That may be one thing that could actually push the needle for Alabama Republicans against Moore. Richard Shelby is not some liberal wishy-washy RINO; his conservative creds are rock-solid:
The two men have moved in similar circles for decades, working together at times. Both are strictly antiabortion, support conservative fiscal policies, tougher immigration rules and favor loosening rules on gun ownership along with increased military spending. Both men favor getting rid of the Senate rule that requires 60 votes for most legislation to pass.
When Moore sparked a legal crisis by displaying the Ten Commandments in a state courthouse, Shelby worked with Moore to introduce the Constitution Restoration Act, a bill that would have blocked the federal judiciary’s ability to prevent federal employees from acknowledging “God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.”
Despite that, Shelby says he can’t vote for Moore:
Shelby took that same message to the national airwaves on Sunday, telling CNN’s State of the Union that the accusers against Moore, including a woman who says he touched her sexually when she was 14, “are believable.”
And … Shelby’s interview on the subject:
The Alabama senator said he has no reason not to believe the women who have come forward, adding that where there’s “a lot of smoke, there’s got to be some fire somewhere.”
“(W)e call it a tipping point,” Shelby said. “I think, so many accusations, so many cuts, so many drip, drip, drip — when it got to the 14-year-old’s story, that was enough for me. I said I can’t vote for Roy Moore.”
Shelby said on “State of the Union” that he’s not sure who will win the close election race in Alabama, but he added that “the state of Alabama deserves better” than Moore.
So do we all.
Shelby bucks his party and president to oppose Moore for Senate – The Washington Post
The Alabama senator fears what Moore’s election would mean for his state’s reputation.
Granted, Shelby is just as much of a right wing fucknut as Moore.
And his recommendation is more along the lines of writing in some other R candidate (Strange, presumably?). Even so, pretty good news there.
+James Karaganis True enough, as his record shows. I'm not 100% certain Shelby's quite as zany as Moore, and his various theocratic traits have at least been channeled through the system, not imply imposed / ignored by fiat.
Plus, so far as we know, he doesn't skeeve on 14yo girls.
Yes. There is that.
A 30 year Senator going against Roy Moore? As far as Moore supporters are concerned, obviously Shelby's decades in Washington have corrupted him. Hey, Shelby's taking the same political stance as the Kenyan!
It wouldn't happen, but I wonder what the reaction would be a non-Washington figure such as Phil Robertson withdrew his support for Moore.
http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2017/08/roy_moore_gets_endorsement_fro.html
+John E. Bredehoft That's the flip side to Shelby, and the question is whether the folk in Alabama could really, in effect, turn on him.
On the other hand, they went along with Trump supporting Strange; that doesn't seem to have cost him any support there.
I am not in the least shocked by Mr Robertson's support. I'm surprised it's taken this long.