Roy Moore may be on downhill slide

With 10 days left until the special election for Alabama's US Senate seat between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones, there are more signals that things may be going downhill for the ultra-conservative, homophobic former Chief Justice of the state.

A Washington Post-Schar School Poll published Saturday showed Jones with 50 percent of the vote among likely voters, with Moore at 47 percent. 58 percent of likely voters said they trusted Jones to handle rights for “gay and transgender people” versus 30 percent for Moore.

Likely voters also sided with Jones on handling healthcare (51 to 45) and standards of personal moral conduct (53 to 34).

The answers came despite continued voter uncertainty about the allegations that Moore sexually assaulted teenage girls when he was in his 30 and they were in their teens. 37 percent had no opinion on whether Moore did, or did not, make unwanted advances. 35 percent said he did, while 28 percent said he did not.

Another poll, by CBS news, said 71 percent of Alabama voters don't believe the allegations against the former state Supreme Court Chief Justice.

Related:
Log Cabin Republicans call on "good Christians" to reject Roy Moore
Homophobes travel to Alabama to support Roy Moore’s anti-LGBT extremism
Allegations against Roy Moore roil US evangelical ranks
Anti-LGBT+ Alabama senate nominee Roy Moore accused of sexual assault

A spokesman for Moore's campaign responded to the polling results, insinuating that the Post had influence over the findings because they were the first news organization to report the sexual misconduct allegations against Moore, according to CNN.

"This week, Roy Moore has led in more than 5 public polls. So it's no surprise we would be down in the Washington Post poll given their commitment to the systematic destruction of Roy Moore," the spokesman said. "The Post hates Moore and anyone who stands for God and the values that have made this nation great."

Meanwhile, Moore has rarely been seen on the campaign trail since the allegations became public.

Moore has made limited public appearances, leading to Democrat Doug Jones, who held a flurry of events over the weekend, to mock Moore for hiding, reported the Associated Press.

"’We're on the campaign trail meeting all of you and meeting folks here as no one knows where Roy Moore is,’ Jones said Friday to a crowd of reporters interviewing him.

“Moore made three campaign stops last week. Adoring audiences in little country churches still welcome the Bible-toting Moore. But the campaign also has been punctuated by tense moments and odd exchanges, including an online spat with late night television host Jimmy Kimmel.”

Moore, in his few appearances, has been highly critical of the allegations against him, casting blame on a variety of groups. "They've done everything. When I say they, who are they? They're liberals. They don't want conservative values. They're the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender. They're socialists who want to change our way of life, putting man above God and that government is our God. They're the Washington establishment who simply wants to keep their job," Moore said, according to the AP report.

The special election is December 12.

Copyright The Gayly – December 3, 2017 @ 2:20 p.m. CST.