President Trump stood up for embattled Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore Tuesday, saying he “totally denies” allegations of sexual harassment by several women.

“Roy Moore denies it,” Mr. Trump said. “He’s run eight races, and this has never come up. He totally denies it, he says it didn’t happen. You have to listen to him, also.”

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Mr. Trump also said “we don’t need a liberal” like Democratic candidate Doug Jones in the Senate.

“You don’t need somebody who is soft on crime like Jones,” Mr. Trump said.

Asked about similar allegations against Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, Mr. Trump said the lawmaker would have to speak for himself.

“I don’t want to speak for Al Franken,” the president said. “I’d rather have him speak for himself.”

Facing the critical special election for the Senate seat in Alabama on Dec. 12, Mr. Trump seemed to discredit the allegations of sexual misconduct against Mr. Moore partly because the accusations are mostly decades old.

“I do have to say, 40 years is a long time,” Mr. Trump said.

Asked how the allegations will impact women voters, the president replied, “The women are Trump voters. Most of them are Trump voters.”

He said of Mr. Jones, “I can tell you for a fact, we do not need somebody who’s going to be bad on crime, bad on borders, bad with the military, bad with the Second Amendment.”

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