“Roy Moore is a disaster for business and economic development,” says Hamill. “He was a disaster even before the allegations.”

Moore, a Republican, was twice removed as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court for defying federal court orders: first over a Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama Judicial Building and then over the U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage. Hamill says that doesn’t represent the stability and predictability that businesses want from elected leaders. She adds that recruiting high-profile projects is highly competitive.

“The fear is that his presence will tip the scales causing the business to choose somebody else,” Hamill says.