# 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:** 49
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/961 "2017-12-11T03:45:03Z")
Jones out-raised Moore 10-1 in the month of November. He’s got the money to spend. Doesn’t always make a difference… but it often does. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/962 "2017-12-11T05:14:29Z")
Even if Moore wins, this will be the gift that keeps on giving the whole mid-term through. Here’s the thing: having a Democrat represent Alabama just ain’t right. It defies nature. Remember in 2008 when everyone was so excited to have Democrats take control of the Senate in January 2009? That was just a swing, a fluke, some hope-and-change-charged emotional votes that were returned to normalcy in 2014. It’s not like with a Jones victory, anyone has shifted the political scale in Alabama away from Republicans/conservatism. Even if Jones wins, he’ll be a placeholder-- now granted, he’ll be a critically important placeholder that will make it harder for the Pubs to pass their destructive bullshit. But with the Republicans having a bomb-throwing, ape-shit-crazy child molestor in the Senate, it won’t do them any favors as they attempt to hold on to power, in '18 or '20. Either way, the Democrats-- and any person who gives a shit about the continuation of a democratic USA-- have the chance to come out the winners in all of this on Tuesday. I daresay, Democrats hoping to take a heftier amount of Congressional seats in 2018 should actually hope for a Roy Moore victory. If you’re able to stomach the short-term horror, there could be longer-term benefits nationally to having him win in a state that will always and forever be a right-wing paradise regardless of Tuesday’s results. I want to see Democratic House & Senate victories in Missouri, Arizona, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina… Not just a flukey Democratic win in Alabama. I’m utterly fascinated to see the results, but I’m not losing sleep over it one way or the other. It’s all good either way. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/963 "2017-12-11T09:30:45Z")
The polls are open from 7a-7p, in case anyone was wondering. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2017, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/964 "2017-12-11T15:54:32Z")
> **[Fox News poll: Jones leads Moore by 10 points](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/364248-fox-news-poll-jones-leads-moore-by-10-points/)** > > Democrat Doug Jones leads GOP candidate Roy Moore by 10 points in the Alabama Senate race, according to a Fox News poll released Monday.Fifty percent of voters surveyed say they pref… New Fox News poll (and in my understanding their polling outfit is good and untainted by their political leanings) has Jones up by 10. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/965 "2017-12-11T15:58:30Z")
I think a lot of Republicans will be secretly celebrating if Moore loses. It’s a temporary setback, politically, but will save them all kinds of grief in the upcoming elections. It’s bad enough they have Trump associated with them. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/966 "2017-12-11T16:25:50Z")
I think what could give Jones the win is some GOP women staying home. They can’t support either guy so they just sit the race out. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/967 "2017-12-11T16:28:42Z")
I’m not going to put to much faith in anything until it’s done, especially with a state that screwed up, but it would be sweet if Trump’s active campaigning ended up being the last straw that pushed Moore under water. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/968 "2017-12-11T16:39:28Z")
At this point, it hardly seems worth the effort of speculating. We’ll know in \<36 hours, unless it’s a cliffhanger. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/969 "2017-12-11T16:48:40Z")
Let’s not delude ourselves. This is Alabama. At 7:01 pm tomorrow the race will be called for Moore. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/970 "2017-12-11T16:51:11Z")
This time, the polls don’t mean shit. How many of the poll respondents are too ashamed to tell anyone, even a poll-taker, that they’re voting for the molester over the Democrat? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/971 "2017-12-11T16:56:02Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > I’m not going to put to much faith in anything until it’s done, especially with a state that screwed up, but it would be sweet if Trump’s active campaigning ended up being the last straw that pushed Moore under water. If Roy Moore loses it will turn out that Trump never campaigned for him. “Moore? Moore? Never heard of him.” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/972 "2017-12-11T17:11:48Z")
[Moore spokesman:](https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/940265059846180864) what Moore said about slavery doesn’t matter, because they’re not going to be voting on slavery in the Senate anytime soon. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/973 "2017-12-11T17:24:59Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > [Moore spokesman:](https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/940265059846180864) what Moore said about slavery doesn’t matter, because they’re not going to be voting on slavery in the Senate anytime soon. That’s an optimistic view of the next few years ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/974 "2017-12-11T17:47:13Z")
Well, we know about his views on slavery. But Moore apparently didn’t support Prohibition (or its repeal), and also wasn’t too keen on black or female suffrage or (irony alert) the direct election of U.S. senators: [http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/10/politics/kfile-roy-moore-aroostook-watchmen/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/10/politics/kfile-roy-moore-aroostook-watchmen/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/975 "2017-12-11T18:05:47Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > At this point, it hardly seems worth the effort of speculating. We’ll know in \<36 hours, unless it’s a cliffhanger. You must be new around here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/976 "2017-12-11T18:51:13Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > At this point, it hardly seems worth the effort of speculating. We’ll know in \<36 hours, unless it’s a cliffhanger. Speculating is healthy. Keep the bowels in good working order. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/977 "2017-12-11T18:59:55Z")
Moore is correct that the 14th Amendment was ratified only at gunpoint. But that’s just one more illustration of what’s wrong with the South: They were only capable of being decent human beings when they were forced into it. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/978 "2017-12-11T19:13:47Z")
I don’t hold out too much hope for a Democratic win. It would be nice but, even with everything that transpired it’s still a long shot. If it wasn’t a really really safe seat Jeff Sessions would still be in it and a Trump would have a different AG. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/979 "2017-12-11T19:23:49Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I don’t hold out too much hope for a Democratic win. It would be nice but, even with everything that transpired it’s still a long shot. If it wasn’t a really really safe seat Jeff Sessions would still be in it and a Trump would have a different AG. The seat is safe. It’s the guy trying to sit in it who is not safe. It does seem like a long shot, but the fact that it’s even being talked about is surprising. Trump won AL 62% - 34%. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504/980 "2017-12-11T19:25:35Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Well, we know about his views on slavery. But Moore apparently didn’t support Prohibition (or its repeal), and also wasn’t too keen on black or female suffrage or (irony alert) the direct election of U.S. senators: [http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/10/politics/kfile-roy-moore-aroostook-watchmen/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/10/politics/kfile-roy-moore-aroostook-watchmen/index.html) There is a very strong movement among Republicans to return elections of Senators back to the state legislatures. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=48) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-democrats-win-the-alabama-senate-special-election-in-december/793504.md?page=50)