National Democrats eye shot at Alabama upset

[DonViejo]

Attorney Doug Jones sets up a perfect contrast with Republican Moore, Democrats say. But the odds of victory are long.

By GABRIEL DEBENEDETTI 09/27/2017 12:03 PM EDT

If Democrats are ever going to have a shot — however remote — at a Senate seat in Alabama, this is it.

At least that’s the immediate reaction within the local party and among some excited national Democrats on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, in the wake of conservative firebrand Roy Moore’s primary victory over Sen. Luther Strange.

Republicans say Democrats are deluding themselves. President Donald Trump won Alabama by 28 points last year and the state hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate in over two decades. The Democratic nominee, Doug Jones, has struggled to raise campaign cash. But Moore provides the perfect contrast with Jones’ resume as a civil rights warrior, and an upset is not out of the question, Democrats argue.

So now, these Jones-backing Democrats are asking, will the cavalry arrive in time?

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http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/27/alabama-special-election-2017-doug-jones-democrats-243204?lo=ap_a1

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Alabamans have a tough choice

on the one hand they can have healthcare, rights, jobs, clean air and water, freedom

on the other hand they can have a monument that exists to show racism

tough choice

[Sneederbunk]

2. Not a tough choice if you are an Alabaman.

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. And yet I bet more than half choose water that will poison them

to preserve their racist monument.

(US Senators have nothing to do with this, of course, but the point is made)

[nycbos]

4. We need money at the state legislative level for redistricting in 2020.

Not wasting it at a 1% shot at a Senate race in Alabama.

[Scoopster]

7. No, we need BOTH.

The waste would be not taking both opportunities & running with them all the way.

[nycbos]

8. It just a question of how much

We spent $30 million in the Georgia special election. Some of it could have gone to take back the VA legislature.


Send Jones a little bit of money so he can put up some fight. The national party is not popular in Alabama. Sending in the calvary can have a negative effect.

The best thing is allow him to fly under the radar and hope he can surprise people.

[misanthrope]

10. Exactly. Has no one learned from what happened in Georgia's Sixth?

Tens of millions wasted in a race that wasn't as close as many hoped it would be. The GOP margin of victory in Alabama is going to be far wider.

Save these funds for races elsewhere where Dems have a chance. Stop throwing it away.

[nycbos]

11. There was a race in South Carolina at the same time.

The Dem flew under every one radar and made it a three point race.

[OliverQ]

5. An interview with some Alabamans in a diner, showed all but 1 ready to vote for Moore.

The 1 no vote said he voted Democrat 40 years ago, and just might do so again. The other idiots were, "He's a good Christian man who follows the Bible." Another said, "I don't really trust Moore much, but I sure as heck don't trust no Democrat".

Places like Alabama aren't even in the same realm as most states here. They really need to just secede.

[lastlib]

6. We can help him.....

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/homepage-donate?refcode=MS_HP_FR_2017.05.26_X_homepage-donate_X__X__X&amount=25&amounts=15,25,50,100,250,500,1000,2700&recurring=auto

https://dougjonesforsenate.com/

[BannonsLiver]

9. If it gets nationalized like the others over the summer Jones has no shot.

It's the ultimate catch 22. Perhaps the best approach might be to see if Jones can get by on small contributions and catch Moore overly confident and asleep at the wheel. It's an extreme longshot either way.