Three Reasons Alabama Made Democrat Doug Jones its Next Senator
In a dramatic and highly contentious race, Alabama voters on Tuesday elected Democrat Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate. Jones will occupy the seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. This marks the first time in a quarter century an Alabama Democrat won a U.S. Senate seat.
There were a few main reasons Jones beat Republican Roy Moore, according to Democratic pollster Zac McCrary:
Energized Democrats
Democratic votes surged statewide, especially in urban areas including Jefferson County as well as Alabama’s Black Belt region, the state’s poorest region. Statewide, 96 percent of African Americans supported Jones, a percentage point higher than supported former President Barack Obama in 2012.
Moore’s Unpopularity
McCrary says many GOP voters “just could not bring themselves to vote for Roy Moore.” Moore’s popularity among more mainstream Republican voters was shaky even before allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against Moore. “Roy Moore was already a damaged candidate before the reports of predatory behavior surfaced,” McCrary says.
Some voted for Jones, some chose a write-in candidate, and some stayed home on Election Day, he says.
Limits to Party Loyalty
There are limits to partisanship. “Voters will only be pushed so far, and then they push back. And that’s what we saw last night, was a rejection of a divisive style of politics even in a very red state,” McCrary says.
A Look Ahead
The lesson for Democrats looking to 2018? A good Democratic candidate can catch lightening in a bottle, McCrary says. Jones, he says, is the prototype for that brand of political success.
Immigration enforcement ramps up, tensions persist in big cities
Cities prepare for nationwide protests on Saturday.
Federal judge says he could release Mahmoud Khalil as soon as this week
Judge Michael Farbiarz said the government cannot keep Khalil detained based on its accusation that he threatens U.S. foreign policy goals. But the judge gave the government time to appeal.
RFK Jr. names new slate of vaccine advisers after purging CDC panel
Two days after firing vaccine experts who help set the nation's immunization policies, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has picked eight successors for the CDC panel.
Leaders of ‘orgasmic meditation’ company were convicted of forced labor: What to know
OneTaste billed itself as a sexual wellness business centered on "orgasmic meditation." Prosecutors said former leaders subjected victims to sexual and emotional abuse.
LA braces for Marines as California sues to stop military involvement
With the federalized National Guard deployed against the state's wishes and the Marines on the way to L.A., there are growing concerns about the policing role of the military.
In Miami, deportations are raising concerns among Cuban-Americans
South Florida's Cuban-American community supports President Trump, but some members are uneasy with his immigration policies. "I'm not for deporting people without criminal records."
