Orrin Hatch: Strange an ‘excellent alternative’ to Moore

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on Monday called the allegations of sexual misconduct against GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore “serious and disturbing” and said that Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.) would be a good alternative for Alabama voters.

Hatch’s comments came in a tweet after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for Moore to step aside and said he believes the women who said Moore pursued relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.

“I stand with the Majority Leader on this,” Hatch said on Twitter.

“These are serious and disturbing accusations, and while the decision is now in the hands of the people of Alabama, I believe Luther Strange is an excellent alternative.”

I stand with the Majority Leader on this. These are serious and disturbing accusations, and while the decision is now in the hands of the people of Alabama, I believe Luther Strange is an excellent alternative. https://t.co/L7IallXhBc

— Orrin Hatch (@OrrinHatch) November 13, 2017

{mosads}Moore is facing growing pressure from Republicans to step aside in the Alabama Senate race after a woman accused him of initiating a sexual encounter with her in 1979, when she was 14 and he was 32. Three other women also said Moore courted them around the same time, when they were between the ages of 16 and 18.

Moore has denied the allegations and has vowed to remain in the race.

Moore previously defeated Strange — who was endorsed by President Trump — in the GOP primary runoff for the Alabama Senate seat once held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. 

Strange last week called the allegations against Moore “very, very disturbing.”

Since the allegations, some lawmakers have raised the idea of a write-in campaign.

Moore is set to face Democrat Doug Jones in the Dec. 12 special election.