Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby 'can't vote' for Roy Moore

Sen. Richard Shelby prefers a write-in candidate for Tuesday’s special election in Alabama instead of Republican candidate Roy Moore, CNN reported.

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“I'd rather see the Republican win, but I'd rather see a Republican write-in,” Shelby told CNN on Sunday. “I couldn't vote for Roy Moore. I didn't vote for Roy Moore.”

Moore has denied accusations of pursuing sexual relationships with teenagers when he was in his 30s, CNN reported. He and Democratic candidate Doug Jones are in a virtual dead heat for the seat that was vacated when Jeff Sessions became Attorney General in President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

Shelby, a Republican, said he has no reason to doubt the women who have made the accusations and added that where there is “a lot of smoke, there's got to be some fire somewhere."

“(W)e call it a tipping point,” Shelby said. “I think, so many accusations, so many cuts, so many drip, drip, drip -- when it got to the 14-year-old’s story, that was enough for me. I said I can't vote for Roy Moore.”