Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said Wednesday he and his fellow Senate Republicans are “relieved” after Judge Roy Moore lost to Senator-elect Doug Jones in the Alabama special election Tuesday night despite the possible effect on the party’s ability to enact their agenda and the 2018 midterm elections.
Shelby told reporters at the Capitol Senate Republicans are pleased that despite not holding onto the seat, they will not have to deal with Moore — who he deemed “radioactive” — or worry about him becoming the unwanted face of the party.
“Relieved? Yes, that’s a good word,” said Shelby, the dean of the Alabama congressional delegation. “I’m relieved and I believe a lot of the Republicans are relieved that Roy Moore and some of his people aren’t the face of the Republican Party I know.”
“I think it helps the Republicans in the long run. We won’t have someone that would be so radioactive, so controversial — would be trying to define the Republican Senate, which he couldn’t, and he won’t now.”
“As I watched the returns last night, I was conflicted because we’d lose a seat,” Shelby admitted, adding he is “proud of the people of Alabama that I believe they chose principle over politics.”
Shelby was one of the most outspoken lawmakers against Moore, going so far to write in an undisclosed Republican on his ballot instead of voting for the two-time chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He did not reveal who he voted for when pressed on Wednesday, quipping to reporters that he hasn’t even told his wife yet.
The lost seat means Republicans will only control 51 seats in the upper chamber once Jones is seated in the coming weeks. However, Republicans aren’t unnerved about the slim margin of error facing them as they push forward with a planned vote on the tax bill next week and look to wrap up a spending deal before Christmas.
“No, no. It just makes us have to be a little better at it,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., when asked about the effect on their attempt to enact the GOP agenda.
“When I was the whip in the House, the easiest whipping we ever had was when we had the smallest majority we ever had because everybody knew what they had to do. They had to be part of what was going to get done,” Blunt continued, referring to his time as majority and minority whip from 2003-09. “So I don’t think it changes anything at all.”
Senate Republicans also view the contest as an outlier result and not an indicator of what they will face in 2018 in their quest to maintain control of the Senate. They also believe it is an impetus to nominate quality candidates in future elections, including Arizona and Tennessee — two Republican states that will have elections for open seats next year.
“I think the circumstances in the Alabama election were unique and that we had a fundamentally flawed candidate in a deep-red state. The people of Alabama spoke,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., the vice chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“The races in 2018 — we all know the maps. We know we have a great opportunity there. I think we produce a result … on tax cuts and tax reform, we continue to work on healthcare reform, get the economy moving,” Tillis said. “That’s going to be the difference in winning and losing in 2018.”
