One possible consequence of the controversy engulfing Roy Moore's campaign for the U.S. Senate is apparently off the table.

Josh Pendergrass, communications director for Gov. Kay Ivey, said today the governor does not intend to change the date of the Dec. 12 election.

"The Governor is not considering and has no plans to move the special election for the U.S. Senate," Pendergrass said in a text message.

Moore has strongly denied the allegation reported by the Washington Post that he dated and had a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32.

But the allegation has created pressure from some Republicans in the U.S. Senate for Moore to step aside from the race against Democratic nominee Doug Jones. Two senators withdrew their endorsement of Moore and the National Republican Senatorial Committee withdrew from a fundraising agreement with Moore's campaign.

Moore has vowed to stay in the race.

The state Republican Party could remove him as its nominee but it's too late for the party to replace him with another candidate or remove his name from the ballot. The deadline for that was 76 days before the election.

Secretary of State John Merrill, the state's top official over elections, said today Ivey has not talked to him about changing the election date.

Merrill said the fact that absentee and overseas voters have been casting ballots since Oct. 18 complicated the question of whether the date could be changed.

"I don't know if she has the authority to change the election in mid-stream," Merrill said.

Ivey has already changed the date once. Former Gov. Robert Bentley initially scheduled the special election to coincide with next year's elections. Ivey changed the date after she replaced Bentley as governor in April.

Alabama Republican Party leaders have not said if they plan to take any action regarding Moore's status as the nominee.

The winner will fill the Senate seat Jeff Sessions left to become attorney general. Sen. Luther Strange has held the seat since Bentley appointed him in February.

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