The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, says it has no plans to pour money into the candidacy of former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore — unless his Democratic opponent proves to be a challenge.
The SLF spent almost $5 million on the campaign of incumbent Alabama Sen. Luther Strange in a special election primary in August and runoff with Moore in September. When Moore handily defeated Strange, the PAC promised to support Moore's general election campaign, but not with money.
SLF spokesman Chris Pack told AL.com that the solidly red state isn't likely to need its help.
"This is Alabama, not New York or California," Pack said. "Democrats would first need to demonstrate this is an actual race before anything is considered."
And, Pack told HuffPost, "We hope those who helped Moore in the primary will stay focused on keeping this seat in Republican hands. … In terms of spending, we're monitoring the race closely to see if Democrats demonstrate this is a competitive race."
Moore will face Democrat Doug Jones on Dec. 12. Jones, a former U.S. attorney who in 2002 successfully prosecuted two men charged in the 1963 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four young black girls in Birmingham. Jones has come in 6 and 8 points behind Moore in recent polls, AL.com noted.
Moore beat Strange in the runoff by 9 points, but pre-election polls had him ahead by double digits.
Moore's conservative Christian stances against same-sex marriage and for the public display of the Ten Commandments have won him ardent supporters on the right, but just as strong opposition from the left.
He was twice removed from his post as chief justice, first for refusing to remove a monument to the Commandments from the Alabama Supreme Court building, and later for advising county probate judges not to follow the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to issue same-sex marriage licenses.
The PAC's primary and runoff ads were largely attacks on Moore and U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who came in third in the primary.
AL.com notes that the SLF might take issue with him as well for his past criticism of McConnell, whom he has called on to be replaced as majority leader. The PAC's website still listed opposition research against Moore on Oct. 10, HuffPost reported.
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