Doug Jones, a Democratic former prosecutor who mounted a seemingly quixotic Senate campaign in the face of Republican dominance here, defeated his scandal-scarred opponent, Roy S. Moore, after a brutal campaign marked by accusations of sexual abuse and child molestation against the Republican, according to The Associated Press.
The upset delivered an unimagined victory for Democrats and shaved Republicans’ unstable Senate majority to a single seat.
Mr. Jones’s victory could have drastic consequences on the national level, snarling Republicans’ legislative agenda in Washington and opening, for the first time, a realistic but still difficult path for Democrats to capture the Senate next year. It amounted to a stinging snub of President Trump, who broke with much of his party and fully embraced Mr. Moore’s candidacy, seeking to rally support for him in the closing days of the campaign.
In the 25+ years since I made my conversion to the right side of the political aisle, I've never once rejoiced over a Democrat prevailing in an election. While I'm not going to say that I am thrilled that a pro abortion, open borders candidate emerged victorious on Tuesday, I am not the least bit devastated that the wholly unfit Moore was sent packing. And for the record, I deemed him unfit long before the allegations of sexual abuse were levied against him.
While Dems have a legitimate reason to rejoice, I'm sure their satisfaction over flipping a Senate seat in a reliably red state is tempered somewhat. The reason being is the Democrat party's standard of "zero tolerance" when it comes to allegations of sexual misconduct against candidates/elected officials is one which can no longer be used as a cudgel against the GOP. There's no doubt that was something which they were going to hit Republicans with in the 2018 midterms if Roy Moore was a sitting U.S. senator. While I still believe the Democrats have a fighting chance to seize the Senate next year (despite having to defend 25 of the 33 seats up for election), the task is now that much more difficult without the "We expel our perverts; The GOP elects theirs" chanting point.
Say, did anyone hear that noise? Yep, it's the door slamming on the prospects of Al Franken remaining in the Senate. I guess Tuesday wasn't a total loss for Republicans after all.
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What do you want to bet that the "search for perverts" now comes to a screeching halt, having served its one and only function of taking down a Republican candidate? The ONLY reason Franken and Connors are out is because it allowed Democrats to momentarily claim the moral high ground on that issue, while paying no political price for doing so. It was a bunt-- a sacrifice play.
ReplyDeleteThe ONLY reason Franken and Connors are out is because it allowed Democrats to momentarily claim the moral high ground on that issue, while paying no political price for doing so.
ReplyDeleteDems are not paying a political price now. But if/when more accusers come forward with allegations against Dem members of Congress and the Dems attempt to pivot to "Well, we need to let due process play out," they will unwittingly expose themselves as the massive frauds they are. Also, does this suddenly put the Franken seat in play in 2018? If so, I'd say that'll end up being a hefty price for Democrats if it flips.
I think that is a pretty rational assessment, but I never assume Democrats to be rational. I believe there are MANY more of these accusations out there, but having been caught up in a fire they themselves set, to "get" Roy Moore, the incentive is gone for any more of them to get the major press which drives these scandals. And the Democrats aren't cunning, they are instinctive. They WILL expose themselves as frauds and overplay their hand because they always do. The big advantage the GOP gains is we can now paint Klobuchar as "Franken's buddy" and take BOTH seats, if we have good candidates.
ReplyDeleteIt strikes me that the big danger in both Alabama and Minnesota is that the Democrats could by some odd chance turn out to be capable legislators. Now that's not the recent pattern, of course, but it is a danger.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the "ROFL." The more likely danger is that they will turn out to be great BS artists and media manipulators. It's a lot easier and certainly more common.
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