# Can the Democrats win the Alabama senate special election in December? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 13, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504 "2017-08-13T00:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/41 "2017-08-17T18:46:58Z")
Not about the Alabama Senate election, and it is quite far away from 2018 yet, but: > **[Senate: Rating Changes in Five Races](https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/senate/senate-overview/senate-rating-changes-five-races)** > > There are new Senate ratings in five states. Updated bottom lines for these races are below. Our full ratings chart can be found here.  ​ Ratings change on 5 Senatorial contests. All 5 move toward Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/42 "2017-08-17T18:57:14Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Not about the Alabama Senate election, and it is quite far away from 2018 yet, but: > > [http://cookpolitical.com/analysis/senate/senate-overview/senate-rating-changes-five-races](http://cookpolitical.com/analysis/senate/senate-overview/senate-rating-changes-five-races) > > Ratings change on 5 Senatorial contests. All 5 move toward Republicans. 4 out of 5 – Nevada moved towards the Democratic candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/43 "2017-08-17T19:03:28Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > 4 out of 5 – Nevada moved towards the Democratic candidate. Correct. I misread it. 4 out of 5 moved towards R. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/44 "2017-08-18T02:30:01Z")
Under NO scenario would the Democrat win in Alabama. You might as well hypothesize the possibility of Colin Montgomery finally winning a major championship in golf. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_lining](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Silver\_lining](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_lining)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/45 "2017-08-20T11:31:00Z")
> [@EndlessEntropy](#): > > Looks like the Republican frontrunner, Roy Moore, has issues with a suspension, ethics codes violations, interference, and authority abuse. Doug Jones looks like a solid choice for the Democrats and if the turnout is favorable for Democrats and underwhelming for the Republicans, maybe the Democrats can win. > > What will it take for a W? Can India win the gold medal in basketball in the next Olympics? I tend to doubt it. The media might hype it a bit. Dem’s have lost over 1,000 seats under Obama. Their strategy if you call it a strategy by simply saying the other side is bigoted when in truth both sides equally are is not working. When you keep attacking a larger group in an ad hominem fashion, you successfully motivate them to show up on election day. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/46 "2017-08-20T13:46:59Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > When you keep attacking a larger group in an ad hominem fashion, you successfully motivate them to show up on election day. Don’t you realize that _everyone_ feels they are under attack by another group? That sentence by itself can apply to any group. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/47 "2017-08-21T15:06:57Z")
> **[Poll finds conservative with huge lead over Trump-backed Alabama candidate](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/347287-poll-moore-leads-strange-by-wide-margin-ahead-of-alabama-gop-runoff/)** > > Roy Moore has a nearly 20-point lead over Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), the candidate backed by President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in Alabama’s Senate special … Roy Moore has a nearly 20-point lead over Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), the candidate backed by President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in Alabama’s Senate special election, according to a new poll. The survey conducted by JMC Analytics and Polling found the former chief justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court with 51 percent support, compared to 32 percent for Strange. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/48 "2017-08-23T05:12:39Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > simply saying the other side is bigoted when in truth both sides equally are Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Ambrosio\_Spinola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambrosio_Spinola)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/49 "2017-08-23T16:09:36Z")
Obviously, the Republican candidate in Alabama is going to be the overwhelming favorite. Roy Moore, though, is controversial even there - his last election to chief justice wasn’t a blowout, he won against a Democrat with [just under 52% of the vote](https://ballotpedia.org/Alabama_judicial_elections,_2012). And Doug Jones seems to be about as good of a Democratic candidate as one could hope to see in the race. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that Strange and Moore seriously damage each other in the runoff campaign, that Moore wins, and further damages himself by his own actions. A pretty _small_ possibility to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/50 "2017-08-23T19:42:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Let’s just say, “Good luck storming the castle”. > [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I’ll point out that they (the Princess Bride gang) succeeded in their attempt, against all odds. What I wouldn’t give for a Holocaust cloak. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/51 "2017-08-23T19:48:54Z")
> [@lokij](#): > > Lived just over the border in TN for several years, Huntsville was the nearest large city. Roy Moore is going to be the next senator, not a doubt in my mind. The vast majority of people a fifteen minute drive out from any city, in any direction basically hate the America that exists now. They want no part of it, they don’t understand it and they don’t want to… if the culture wars degenerate into a shooting war, and given this past week I’m not beyond considering it, Alabama will be our Helmand province. Better it were a Helm’s Deep province, and Aragorn never shows up… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/52 "2017-09-25T04:52:30Z")
Just bringing this thread back up the page as the Republican run-off election is this Tuesday. “Big” Luther Strange (at least he comes by it honestly; he’s 6’9") is running TV ads all over, mostly funded by the PAC run by the Senate Republicans led by McConnell. Stranges’ whole campaign seems to be “Donald Trump likes me and I’ll do whatever he asks”, which is still a pretty popular opinion in Alabama, but holds no other discernable opinions as far as I can tell. “Judge” Roy Moore is still widely popular here after being thrown off the Alabama Supreme Court twice for ‘standing up’ for the 10 Commandments and against Gay Marriage. Oh, and he doesn’t like immigrants very much either. So it’s either a man with no scruples or obvious principles (Strange) or one with no idea how a republic should work (he’d do fine in a Christian Theocracy) (Moore). The Democrat is pretty smart, actually answers policy questions, and wants to help folks in Alabama. He hasn’t a chance. Should be a 48 hours that will keep me from turning the TV on and being tempted to turn my phone off. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/53 "2017-09-25T14:55:46Z")
Is it just me or does anyone else automatically think “Batman Villain” when they hear the name Luther Strange. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/54 "2017-09-25T15:05:15Z")
There’s a Batman villain named “Hugo Strange,” so yep, I sure do. Similar cadence. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/55 "2017-09-25T16:00:05Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Just bringing this thread back up the page as the Republican run-off election is this Tuesday. “Big” Luther Strange (at least he comes by it honestly; he’s 6’9") is running TV ads all over, mostly funded by the PAC run by the Senate Republicans led by McConnell. Stranges’ whole campaign seems to be “Donald Trump likes me and I’ll do whatever he asks”, which is still a pretty popular opinion in Alabama, but holds no other discernable opinions as far as I can tell. All Roy Moore needs to do is play Trump’s words referring to Luther Strange as “I don’t know him. I met him once. I may have made a mistake.” a few times. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/56 "2017-09-25T16:37:07Z")
I hope Moore wins the nomination. The Democrats would still almost certainly lose the general election, but they’d have a slightly increased chance (maybe from .1% to 1% or so), with the possibility of Moore torpedoing his own campaign with his religious supremacy rhetoric. And if he’s elected, he’ll be a constant bomb-thrower and embarrassment for the GOP in the Senate (does the Senate really want to debate whether Muslim Americans like Keith Ellison should be allowed to run for Congress?), and a good foil for national Democrats to run against. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/57 "2017-09-25T17:44:24Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > All Roy Moore needs to do is play Trump’s words referring to Luther Strange as “I don’t know him. I met him once. I may have made a mistake.” a few times. Ask and you shall receive 🙂 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?time\_continue=2&v=VFODNI4DBDI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=VFODNI4DBDI) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/58 "2017-09-26T22:51:20Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I hope Moore wins the nomination. The Democrats would still almost certainly lose the general election, but they’d have a slightly increased chance … And if he’s elected, he’ll be a constant bomb-thrower and embarrassment for the GOP in the Senate … It would also show how impotent Trump is at affecting elections. People will remember that next time he says “if you don’t vote for this bill, I’ll endorse your primary opponent.” ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/59 "2017-09-27T01:10:31Z")
Currently Moore is way out in front with 22% of the vote in. Live election results are [here](https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/senate-special-election-primary-runoff-alabama). Even with Moore as the nominee there is really no chance the Democrats will win this seat. It’s Alabama people! ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/60 "2017-09-27T01:19:34Z")
Moore is the winner. Looking forward to his Senatorship 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=4)