Alabama Senate Race and Roy Moore’s Allegations

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Latest on sexual misconduct allegations against Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore (all times local):

UPDATED: 10:45 a.m. Two Republican groups say they have no plans to support embattled Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore after President Donald Trump all but endorsed him.

Officials with the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee said Wednesday the organizations have made no changes in their decision to withdraw financial and field support from Moore’s campaign.

The groups withdrew their support earlier this month following a series of allegations that Moore sexually assaulted and harassed teenage girls when he was an assistant district attorney in his 30s. He is now 70.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called on Moore to step aside.

Trump referenced Moore’s Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, on Tuesday when he said: “We don’t need a liberal person in there.”

The special election is Dec. 12.

UPDATED: 3:05 a.m. President Donald Trump is discounting accusations of sexual misconduct against Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore, telling voters not to support his “liberal” rival.

Trump spoke to reporters Tuesday at the White House before leaving for a Thanksgiving break at his Florida estate.

He says of the Alabama race: “We don’t need a liberal person in there.”

Six women have accused Moore of pursuing romantic relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was an assistant district attorney in his 30s.

Two have accused him of assault or molestation.

Moore has denied the allegations.

Of the accusations, Trump says that Moore “denies it.”

The president says he’ll announce next week whether he will campaign for Moore, who faces Democrat Doug Jones in a Dec. 12 special election.