The race for a vacant United States Senate seat in Alabama is over. Mercifully.
Democrat Doug Jones defeated staunch social conservative Roy Moore in the head-to-head special election on Tuesday. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Jones drew 671,151 votes (49.9 percent of ballots cast) compared to Moore’s 650,436 (48.4 percent).
Jones’ victory means the GOP majority in the U.S. Senate (for whatever that’s been worth) will shrink from 52-48 to 51-49.
Does that matter? Probably not. “Republicans” have proven they aren’t serious about fulfilling the promises they campaigned on last year, so whether the party has a narrow majority or a narrow minority is of no consequence as far as we’re concerned.
We gave up on the GOP in 2012 – and it’s done nothing to earn our trust since. There is no party of limited government in America right now. Instead there are two parties of big government preying upon surface divisions.
Anyway, Moore was an absolute lock to win this seat after defeating establishment “Republican” Luther Strange in a GOP primary back in September. No Democrat had won a statewide race in the Heart of Dixie in two decades, and U.S. president Donald Trump carried the state with more than 62 percent of the vote.
His campaign was derailed, however, by unproven allegations that he accosted multiple underage women decades ago.
(Click to view)
(Via: @MooreSenate)
Moore (above) adamantly denied these allegations – which were first reported in early November by The Washington Post. And again, they were never proven. In fact the only thing resembling “evidence” against Moore – a yearbook entry saved by one of his accusers – was later revealed to have been altered.
Nonetheless, GOP leaders like Mitch McConnell embraced the allegations while Democrats branded Moore as a pedophile and demonized anyone who dared to support him.
It worked …
The drumbeat against Moore grew so deafening that it drowned out his denials and cost him the election. Meanwhile Trump – who belatedly endorsed Moore – wasted little time in trying to spin the Alabama fiasco to his advantage.
“The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election,” Trump tweeted early Wednesday. “I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him!”
Wow. With friends like these …
To be clear: This news site has never embraced the sanctimonious social conservatism of politicians like Moore. We don’t believe it is government’s place to impose any sort of morality save the even-handed protection of life, liberty and property.
Accordingly, we have consistently rejected attempts by politicians like Moore to use government to define a “traditional family order.”
Moreover, the allegations against Moore may very well be true … although the timing of their revelation is curious to say the least.
Bottom line? We don’t know. Only Moore and his accusers know. Well … and the God who will one day hold all of them (and all of us) accountable with perfect justice.
Here’s what we do know: The “new normal” in American politics is disturbing.
The “all in” partisan combat/ culture war we are witnessing – fomented at every turn by the corporate-owned media – is getting out of hand.
Consider the sweeping generalizations contained in this tweet from liberal CNN contributor Ana Navarro …
Roy Moore lost.
Steve Bannon lost.
Donald Trump lost.
Pedophilia lost.
Bigotry lost.
Homophobia lost.
Racism lost.
Doug Jones won.
Mitch McConnell won.
African-Americans won.
Women won.
Victims won.
Justice won.
Morality won.
Values won.
Sanity won.
Decency won.
America won.
Actually, everybody lost. Nobody won.
Alabama’s Senate race put America’s political toxicity on display. It showed the worst of America. And sadly, things are going to get worse before they get better.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our stories? Please feel free to submit your own guest column or letter to the editor via-email HERE. Got a tip for us? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question? CLICK HERE. Want to support what we’re doing? SUBSCRIBE HERE.
Banner: iStock