âWeâll look at every optionâ: Luther Strange wonât guarantee support for Mitch McConnell
Luther Strange
Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.) introduced President Trump at a campaign rally in Huntsville  Ala.  on Friday night. (Marvin Gentry/Reuters)
The Republican primary in Alabama's Senate race is a proxy battle between political outsiders  who largely support challenger Roy Moore  and the GOP establishment  which backs  incumbent Sen. Luther Strange . But  Strange  on Saturday declined to give a vote of confidence to the face of his establishment base  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Appearing on Fox News the morning after a campaign rally headlined by President Trump   Strange  was asked whether  he  will support McConnell's continuation as majority leader if the party's latest effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act fails.
 Strange  seemed uncomfortable and stumbled through a noncommittal answer.
 Strange 's equivocation underscores his difficult position in the race. Despite having Trump in his corner  he has effectively been cast by Moore as an establishment figure who will perpetuate Washington dysfunction. Moore has seized the outsider's mantle for himself by highlighting the rebellious streak he displayed as Alabama's chief justice  a position from which he was removed â twice â for defying judicial orders.
To claw back some credibility as a politician who will âdrain the swamp â  Strange  cannot appear too closely connected to GOP leadership.
And yet  Strange  is relying on McConnell for financial support. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics reported Thursday that as of early September  the Senate Leadership Fund super PAC  which is affiliated with McConnell  had spent $733 000 to promote  Strange  and another $2.5 million to air negative ads against Moore.
Since Sept. 11  the Senate Leadership Fund has spent more than $720 000 on postage and printing to advance  Strange 's cause and oppose Moore  according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
[TGT]  introduced President Trump at a campaign rally in Huntsville  Ala.  on Friday night. (Marvin Gentry/Reuters)
The Republican primary in Alabama's Senate race is a proxy battle between political outsiders  who largely support challenger Roy Moore  and the GOP establishment  which backs  incumbent Sen. Luther Strange . But  Strange  on Saturday declined to give a vote of confidence to the face of his establishment base  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Appearing on Fox News the morning after a campaign rally headlined by  [TGT] was asked whether   [TGT]   will support McConnell's continuation as majority leader if the party's latest effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act fails.
 Strange  seemed uncomfortable and stumbled through a noncommittal answer.
  [TGT]  's equivocation underscores his difficult position in the race. Despite having Trump in his corner  he has effectively been cast by Moore as an establishment figure who will perpetuate Washington dysfunction. Moore has seized the outsider's mantle for himself by highlighting the rebellious streak he displayed as Alabama's chief justice  a position from which he was removed â twice â for defying judicial orders.
To claw back some credibility as a politician who will âdrain the swamp â  Strange  cannot appear too closely connected to GOP leadership.
And yet  Strange  is relying on McConnell for financial support. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics reported Thursday that as of early September  the Senate Leadership Fund super PAC  which is affiliated with McConnell  had spent $733 000 to promote  Strange  and another $2.5 million to air negative ads against Moore.
Since Sept. 11  the Senate Leadership Fund has spent more than $720 000 on postage and printing to advance  Strange 's cause and oppose Moore  according to the Center for Responsive Politics.