Doug Jones: Concerns over Joe Biden’s Inappropriate Touching Distract from Beating Trump

Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) said in an interview  Wednesday that concerns over former Vice President Joe Biden’s alleged inappropriate touching distract from the larger goal of defeating President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

Sen. Jones spoke with Mother Jones Wednesday on a wide-ranging topic which covered Biden’s alleged inappropriate touching of women. Jones said that, despite roughly seven women accusing him of inappropriate touching, that Biden never intentionally meant to touch those women inappropriately and contended that the national conversation over Biden’s alleged misconduct distracts from the ultimate goal of defeating Trump.

When asked whether this conversation distracts from the “ultimate goal” of beating Trump, Jones said:

Oh, absolutely, I think a lot of things, I mean, I think, you know, President Obama this weekend in Berlin at the Obama Foundation was talking about Democrats having a circular firing squad over things that are important but not something that can win the election.

“I think that we have to not be so rigid, I think we have to not be so judgmental on every issue that comes up, but I think we will do that,” Jones added.

Jones narrowly defeated former Alabama Supreme Court justice Roy Moore in a 2017 Senate special election. The race became more ensconced in controversy when accusations arose that Moore engaged in sexual misconduct.

An April poll found that Moore leads amongst potential Republican challengers to Jones in the 2020 Senate election.

Fifty percent of Alabama registered voters said that they would like to replace Jones with a Republican, while 40 percent want Jones re-elected, and ten percent remain unsure about a second term for the Alabama Democrat.

Moore also holds a net positive approval rating in the state, with 34 percent of Alabama voters who approve of him and 29 percent who view him unfavorably.