Alabama voters struggle with support for Roy Moore | CNN Politics

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Politics

Alabama voters struggle with support for Roy Moore

By Cassie Spodak
Updated 12:41 PM EST, Mon December 11, 2017
Link Copied!
Leslie Goldberg, 62, of Fairhope, AL - "I'm not going to vote for Roy Moore, at all. For obvious reasons. So all that's left is Doug Jones, who is of course a Democrat. And then there's a lot of things I don't like about him either, but what's the worst of two evils?"
Leslie Goldberg, 62, of Fairhope, AL - "I'm not going to vote for Roy Moore, at all. For obvious reasons. So all that's left is Doug Jones, who is of course a Democrat. And then there's a lot of things I don't like about him either, but what's the worst of two evils?"
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Candy Williams, of Fort Morgan, AL, said she didn't question the accusations against Roy Moore - "Do you think that woman wanted all of her business out in the middle of the news? No." Williams, who says she thinks President Donald Trump is doing well, has mixed feelings about his endorsement of Moore: "I've lost a lot of heart in what's right and what's wrong and it's all pretty much gray right now."
Candy Williams, of Fort Morgan, AL, said she didn't question the accusations against Roy Moore - "Do you think that woman wanted all of her business out in the middle of the news? No." Williams, who says she thinks President Donald Trump is doing well, has mixed feelings about his endorsement of Moore: "I've lost a lot of heart in what's right and what's wrong and it's all pretty much gray right now."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Isaiah Phyritz, 21, is chairman of the Baldwin County Young Republicans, a group that has reaffirmed its support for Roy Moore - "We certainly don't need to have any, you know, Washington outsiders or Washington insiders or people from outside the state of Alabama and in the media trying to influence our election," Phyritz told CNN, while acknowledging that many Alabama voters are struggling with how to vote. "I think there are a lot of undecideds who are just like, 'I typically vote Republican but I don't know what I'm going to do this election cycle.' "
Isaiah Phyritz, 21, is chairman of the Baldwin County Young Republicans, a group that has reaffirmed its support for Roy Moore - "We certainly don't need to have any, you know, Washington outsiders or Washington insiders or people from outside the state of Alabama and in the media trying to influence our election," Phyritz told CNN, while acknowledging that many Alabama voters are struggling with how to vote. "I think there are a lot of undecideds who are just like, 'I typically vote Republican but I don't know what I'm going to do this election cycle.' "
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Jimmy Babb, 51, who was born and raised in Fairhope, said he would support Roy Moore even though he was uncomfortable with the candidate - "For someone to bring up something that happened to someone 40 years ago, I would hate to think any of us are judged by something we did that long ago," Babb told CNN. "I don't know. Dating young girls, I still have a tough time with it. I wish we had better options." His stepson, Dylan Williams, wasn't sure he would vote, ""I don't even know if I want to vote. None of the options really seem appealing enough."
Jimmy Babb, 51, who was born and raised in Fairhope, said he would support Roy Moore even though he was uncomfortable with the candidate - "For someone to bring up something that happened to someone 40 years ago, I would hate to think any of us are judged by something we did that long ago," Babb told CNN. "I don't know. Dating young girls, I still have a tough time with it. I wish we had better options." His stepson, Dylan Williams, wasn't sure he would vote, ""I don't even know if I want to vote. None of the options really seem appealing enough."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Margaret Jacob, 81, lives in Daphne and said she considers herself an independent and will vote for Doug Jones even though she usually votes Republican." "I think you need to vote or you can't complain."
Margaret Jacob, 81, lives in Daphne and said she considers herself an independent and will vote for Doug Jones even though she usually votes Republican." "I think you need to vote or you can't complain."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Steve Heath, 69, and Susan Daniel, 66, of Fish River, AL, say they will vote for Doug Jones and consider themselves moderates - "The sad thing is right now if you say you're Republican you're automatically lumped on the far right and if you say you're Democrat you're automatically lumped on the far left. It's erroneous, it's ridiculous."
Steve Heath, 69, and Susan Daniel, 66, of Fish River, AL, say they will vote for Doug Jones and consider themselves moderates - "The sad thing is right now if you say you're Republican you're automatically lumped on the far right and if you say you're Democrat you're automatically lumped on the far left. It's erroneous, it's ridiculous."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Asheton Sawyer was born and raised in Fairhope and is a pastor at the Fairhope First Baptist Church - "I think all candidates have some disadvantages in the way they've conducted themselves but I'm probably leaning towards the Republican," Sawyer told CNN. "Look at President Trump. I see some disappointments in him but I felt that he is probably the best for us right now."
Asheton Sawyer was born and raised in Fairhope and is a pastor at the Fairhope First Baptist Church - "I think all candidates have some disadvantages in the way they've conducted themselves but I'm probably leaning towards the Republican," Sawyer told CNN. "Look at President Trump. I see some disappointments in him but I felt that he is probably the best for us right now."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Riley Chestang and Dale Douglas, Creek Indians from Mobile, went to Roy Moore's event in Fairhope and said they believe Moore can change Washington - "He's going to have a fight on his hands when he gets there. We'll keep supporting him," Chestang told CNN. "If I didn't vote for like-minded people that's going to work with Trump, there was really no reason for me to vote for Trump," Douglas told CNN.
Riley Chestang and Dale Douglas, Creek Indians from Mobile, went to Roy Moore's event in Fairhope and said they believe Moore can change Washington - "He's going to have a fight on his hands when he gets there. We'll keep supporting him," Chestang told CNN. "If I didn't vote for like-minded people that's going to work with Trump, there was really no reason for me to vote for Trump," Douglas told CNN.
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Kay Day, a volunteer for the Roy Moore campaign, said she felt the last few weeks had invigorated Moore's supporters, who don't believe the accusations against him - "People are just energized the last two weeks because we found out that our people are strong, stable and they're unmovable."
Kay Day, a volunteer for the Roy Moore campaign, said she felt the last few weeks had invigorated Moore's supporters, who don't believe the accusations against him - "People are just energized the last two weeks because we found out that our people are strong, stable and they're unmovable."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Lisa Rapp, 48, of Fairhope was at Roy Moore's event and told CNN she had her own experience with sexual assault and wanted to believe the women accusing Roy Moore, but ultimately felt she wasn't sure she did - "I know for a fact how Roy Moore is going to vote when it comes to protecting unborn babies. I don't know for a fact these women are telling the truth."
Lisa Rapp, 48, of Fairhope was at Roy Moore's event and told CNN she had her own experience with sexual assault and wanted to believe the women accusing Roy Moore, but ultimately felt she wasn't sure she did - "I know for a fact how Roy Moore is going to vote when it comes to protecting unborn babies. I don't know for a fact these women are telling the truth."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Michelle Stancel is a photographer who was covering Roy Moore's event, and lives in Gulf Shores. She said it is the first time in her life she will vote for a Democrat, candidate Doug Jones - "I'm raising a 16-year-old boy in all this and that is crazy," she told CNN. "I'm trying to raise him to be right, and I don't think Moore represents that." In the 2016 presidential election she decided not to vote for anyone: "I think the 2016 election was the first time I really felt I was without a party and without a candidate. It's sad not to be excited about it."
Michelle Stancel is a photographer who was covering Roy Moore's event, and lives in Gulf Shores. She said it is the first time in her life she will vote for a Democrat, candidate Doug Jones - "I'm raising a 16-year-old boy in all this and that is crazy," she told CNN. "I'm trying to raise him to be right, and I don't think Moore represents that." In the 2016 presidential election she decided not to vote for anyone: "I think the 2016 election was the first time I really felt I was without a party and without a candidate. It's sad not to be excited about it."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
Lou Campomenosi of Fairhope is a Roy Moore campaign volunteer and president of the local tea party group Common Sense Campaign. He told CNN he thought Moore would win the special election - "The worst is over, and he'll get elected. The question then becomes what will the Senate do, and I think that's one of our biggest concerns."
Lou Campomenosi of Fairhope is a Roy Moore campaign volunteer and president of the local tea party group Common Sense Campaign. He told CNN he thought Moore would win the special election - "The worst is over, and he'll get elected. The question then becomes what will the Senate do, and I think that's one of our biggest concerns."
CNN/Cassie Spodak
David Nicolson, 58, was born and raised in Mobile and now lives in Fairhope. "I'm probably getting to the point where I'm going to vote more for the candidate as opposed to a party," he told CNN. When asked why, Nicolson said, "Because I don't think either party is relevant anymore." He told CNN he'll be voting for Jones. When I asked if he normally votes Republican, Nicolson said, "Yes, in fact, that's why I have gray hair." In 2016, he voted for independent Gary Johnson, and this will be the second time in his life he's voted for a Democrat, after also voting for Jones in the primary.
David Nicolson, 58, was born and raised in Mobile and now lives in Fairhope. "I'm probably getting to the point where I'm going to vote more for the candidate as opposed to a party," he told CNN. When asked why, Nicolson said, "Because I don't think either party is relevant anymore." He told CNN he'll be voting for Jones. When I asked if he normally votes Republican, Nicolson said, "Yes, in fact, that's why I have gray hair." In 2016, he voted for independent Gary Johnson, and this will be the second time in his life he's voted for a Democrat, after also voting for Jones in the primary.
CNN/Cassie Spodak

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