Roy Moore Has Some Alabama Women Voting Blue for the First Time in Their Lives
Women who have been lifelong supporters of the Republican Party are quietly defecting to the other side thanks to the GOP’s unwavering support of accused child molester Roy Moore, said The Daily Beast on Wednesday.
Patricia Murphy spoke to a number of women who are voting and even canvassing for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Doug Jones thanks to Moore’s long history of alleged child sex predation, stalking and sexual abuse of young girls.
B. L. Shirley, a retiree from Talladega, has gone from voting Republican in every election since she became an adult to canvassing house-to-house for Jones. When asked why, she flatly says, “Roy Moore.”
“I think Roy Moore is an impostor. I am a Christian and I don’t want to be counted in his camp. He’s a divisive person,” she told Murphy.
“If Jones is to pull off a victory, it will be because women like Shirley knocked on doors, called neighbors, and worked to convince otherwise skeptical voters that his opponent is fundamentally unfit for the office he’s seeking,” wrote Murphy. “A few weeks ago, that seemed like a tall order. As the election nears, it no longer appears quite so improbable.”
President Donald Trump appeared to throw Moore a lifeline on Tuesday when he repeatedly said that Moore denies the allegations against him, but women like Walton Foster — another lifelong GOP backer who is breaking ranks to support Jones — remain unmoved.
Foster called Moore “an abomination” and told Murphy, “Our historically Republican-leaning suburb is covered with Doug Jones signs. I have seen one for Roy Moore.”
The Birmingham resident and mother of two teenage boys said, “He is more about his personal agenda and less about what is good for the state of Alabama. He does not seem interested in working with anyone. He has refused to debate and defend his positions publicly. When you add the nine accusations — nine! — it is clear he is unfit for office.”
Murphy also spoke to Alabama Democrats who say that Moore’s “blame the liberal media” strategy isn’t sufficient to stanch the flow of women away from his campaign.
“I worked on a phone bank the other night with women calling women and a lot of women just wanted to talk,” said Shelia Gilbert — chair of the Calhoun County Democratic Party. “They were saying they were Republicans and they’re going to vote for Doug Jones. They are appalled. I’ve heard a lot of that.”
Read the full report here.
No comments: