We owe Richard Shelby thanks for restating that he wrote in a distinguished Republican and could not vote for Moore. With some 35 or so precincts still out, Jones has a lead of about 10K votes while there were 22K write-ins.
I think Trump coming in hard for Moore actually helped Jones. I said so a few days ago, I still think so.
After Virginia and now Alabama, it should be clear that Democratic resources should be focused on registering people, doing turnout, getting people to the polls.
Polls close to the election may well understate how Democrats will do because likely voter screens exclude all the new or infrequent voters that such turnout efforts can bring forth.
A candidate who comes across as a fundamentally decent person can draw people who might otherwise not be inclined to vote for our side. We saw that with Ralph Northam in Virginia, and tonight we saw it with Doug Jones in Alabama.
Democrats should almost never not vigorously compete even for positions in heavily Republican constituencies. Given the loony-tunes folks on the other side of the aisle, one never knows when one is going to get the gift of a candidate like Moore. And while it might take a few cycles, it is how you build the infrastructure to change the nature of the constituency politically.
Now I hope you will forgive me. I am only going to get about 4 hours of sleep. I do have to teach tomorrow, including giving up my planning period to help seniors who need assistance to meet graduation requirements.
I promise I will eventually read any comments, but I will not be responding in real-time.
Time for a celebratory whiskey and then to bed.
Peace.
UPDATE 11:51 PM Having trouble winding down, even after my 2nd celebratory whiskey, so let me add a few thoughts.
1. Bannon lost big. Which means his threats to primary Republican senators may now seem hollow.
2. Trump was badly harmed, no matter how his minions try to spin it. He came in because he thought Moore was going to win and wanted to take the credit.
3. The charges against Trump for his sexual abuses gain more credence, especially in light of the horror of his tweet against Kirsten Gillibrand. His personal conduct could conceivably become as much of an issue as Russia.
4. Given that Jones both campaign on Chip and emphasized it in his remarks tonight, it is not beyond reason that Republicans in the Senate might be willing to take it up, perhaps before the end of this session, or if not, early in the next session when Jones is a Senator.
5. I think Trump now appears as a paper tiger, and it is quite possible that more Senators will be willing to break with him, even if they are not, like Corker and Flake, retiring for the Senate.
6. Ironically, if Republicans do begin to separate themselves from Trump, that could undercut our ability to take control of the House and Senate. But if they do push through a noxious tax bill, nothing they do thereafter will make that much of a difference.
And now — I will try to sleep.