Montgomery, Ala. – Mitch McConnell called it quits early Tuesday night. The Majority Leader’s super PAC, Senate Leadership Fund, declared Judge Roy Moore the winner of the Republican runoff in Alabama — even before the Associated Press.
Around 8:30 p.m. Central Time, the AP made it official, declaring that Moore had won the upset victory with 57 points to incumbent Sen. Luther Strange’s 43 points. Standing six-foot-nine and affectionately known as “Big Luther,” Strange is doomed to endure endless David versus Goliath comparisons.
Almost Biblical in proportion, three takeaways and three questions are immediately obvious.
1. President Trump’s base thinks they know better than him: In a red state he won by double digits, Trump couldn’t convince even the hardest of his hardcore supporters to follow his leadership. If his endorsement, tweets, and rally couldn’t seal the deal in the South, what electoral magic does he have left?
2. McConnell’s money can’t sway an election (at least down the South): The Senate Leadership Fund fought hard and struck fast to bag this one up for Strange. They spent upwards of $10 million against fellow Republicans, far outpacing the opposition. They failed. Now a vulnerable villain of sorts, will some in the Senate conference begin opposing him more openly?
3. It’s open season for Steve Bannon and company: The insurgent coalition that includes far-right luminaries such as Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Mark Levin finally won a big and public and high profile victory against the long loathed establishment. Where will they strike next? One prominent and often mentioned target? Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
