The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is joining other powerhouse campaign contributors and pro-business interest groups in backing out of the U.S. Senate race in Alabama.
In an email to AL.com Tuesday, Scott Reed, the senior political strategist with the national chamber, said the group plans to "spend the next 60 days working on job growth initiatives and tax reform."
"We have a process for non-incumbent races and plan to follow it in Alabama," Reed said in an email. "A candidates' stated priorities and positions on economic issues have great weight with the U.S.C.C. and the Alabama business community."
The chamber was among the major backers of Senator Luther Strange, who lost to former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore during the Sept. 27 GOP runoff.
Reed criticized the outcome of the race, blaming trial lawyers and low voter turnout for Moore's win.
"The Alabama trial lawyers and the 85 percent of eligible Alabama voters that did not vote gave us Roy Moore," Reed said.
His comments mirror those of the Business Council of Alabama's William Canary, who also criticized the low voter turnout last month. He called Moore's win "not a rebellion, but a surrender."
'Bad for business'
The lack of pro-business backing for the Republican nominee in the Senate race comes as Moore's Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, is raising questions about the potential harm the ex-judge could have on Alabama's economy. The two will square off in the Dec. 12 general election.
Organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign of Alabama, have said that pro-equality businesses may avoid Alabama if Moore continues with his social crusades. The ex-judge has made international headlines in times past for his positions opposing same-sex marriage. In 2005, he said that "homosexual conduct" should be illegal, and he's referred to Islam as a "false religion."
The Jones campaign notes that the chamber's stance marks the "third pro-business organization" that "refuses to support Roy Moore."
"We agree with those pro-business organizations that Roy Moore is bad for business in Alabama," the Jones campaign said in a statement. "We look forward to working with any group looking to create jobs and further economic development in the state."
The chamber's position comes after the Senate Leadership Fund, which spent almost $5 million to support Strange's campaign, said it was staying out of the race.
Marsh's endorsement
The Moore campaign did not respond to a request for comment. But the campaign, in a news release Thursday, praised the recent endorsement of Alabama State Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, who has been a darling within the state's business community.
The news release states that Marsh's endorsement "reflects the mounting support coming from all corners of the Republican Party" and notes that the GOP is uniting to defeat Jones.
Marsh, an Anniston Republican, called for unity behind Moore's candidacy.
"If Alabamians want to ensure that President Trump has another ally in the United State Senate, then it is imperative that they support the Republican nominee," Marsh said in a statement.
Steve Flowers, a former member of the Alabama Legislature and a current author whose weekly column appears in 60 newspapers around the state, said Marsh's endorsement shouldn't be perceived as future backing for Moore from pro-business groups.
"I would read into his position as being the business position," said Flowers. "What I perceive from Marsh's support of Moore is that it's a personal thing. I think he likes Moore."
Said Flowers: "The business community, it makes sense that they will sit on their hands in this race unless they seize some internal polling that there are, indeed, a significant number of Republicans who will support Doug Jones. It will come from the national business community, and they cannot afford to let this seat go into Democratic hands."
'Uncertain about Moore'
Most polls conducted since the GOP runoff show Moore with a 6-8 percentage point advantage over Jones. The general election polling has been tighter than the pre-runoff polling which showed Moore with more commanding lead over Strange.
Cal Jillson, a professor of political science at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said a lot of national groups "are still assessing" the Alabama Senate race on whether to get involved or not.
"That includes national Democratic organizations and the sort of Democratic non-governmental apparatus, which is assessing this race and are not sure whether Jones is a good investment," Jillson said. "One other side, you have pro-business groups, the sort of McConnell-associated groups, the national chamber and the Alabama business council, who are uncertain about Moore and about whether officially backing him and contributing to him will boomerang against them if he does something extraordinary."
Jillson said the hyperpolarization of the American electorate will prevent groups like the chamber from backing Democrats, such as Jones.
Jess Brown, a retired political science professor at Athens State University, said he could see corporate leaders taking a "dose of Dramamine" and "quietly support Moore without enthusiasm."
"If they think he is really threatened, they will retrieve their checkbooks on his behalf to salvage a Republican vote in D.C.," Brown said.
Flowers said Moore is not a guaranteed supporter for business groups, and noted that while he was a judge on the Alabama State Supreme Court, he did not "tote the business line."
But with Moore, Flowers said, he is a "R" and not a "D," which carries plenty of weight among pro-business groups who do not want to lose a slim Republican majority in the Senate.
"He's only interested in social issues," said Flowers about Moore. "His record indicates he is not a business Republican."
Flowers added, "The only reason (pro-business groups) want him to win is he has a 'R' by his name and retails that 52-48 majority in the U.S. Senate. You will see them change their tune if they sense there is a chance Doug Jones can win."
'Costly lesson'
William Stewart, a professor emeritus of political sciences at the University of Alabama, said he's been surprised not to see the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Council of Alabama taking a more active role in getting more electable candidates who back their positions.
Indeed, the Chamber of Commerce and the Senate Leadership Fund were routinely criticized by Moore during the runoff campaign.
Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon, the head of conservative Brietbart News, has lashed out against GOP groups that back Senate candidates loyal to McConnell.
Bannon campaigned on Moore's behalf while in Alabama last month. During a pre-runoff rally in Fairhope, Moore said that McConnell "needs to be replaced."
Moore didn't meet with McConnell or Alabama's other senator, Richard Shelby, when he visited Washington, D.C. earlier this month. Instead, he met with Bannon.
Bannon is reportedly pushing the candidacy of other insurgent Senate hopefuls ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. He's planning to target Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, who has routinely received high pro-business scores by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Stewart suggested that Moore's uprising may not have happened had the pro-business groups been more active once Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey took office in April and called for the special election.
"If Ivey could have been persuaded to delay the Senate election rather than spend tight money on expensive primaries and a general election, Strange would probably have been easily elected," said Stewart. "Roy Moore as senator is unlikely to pay them any special favors. I think they have learned a costly lesson in Strange's defeat."
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