As Alabama voters head to the polls on Tuesday, the country waits to see who comes out victorious during the special election where controversial Republican candidate Roy Moore faces off against Democrat Doug Jones. The twice ousted state Supreme Court chief justice Moore has been a firebrand in politics for his sharp criticism of giving rights to women, the LGBT community and Muslims along with numerous allegations he pursued relationships with teenage girls while he was in his 30s. Moore has denied the allegations. If Democrats do win it also signify a win in Alabama since 1992 and would highlight voters are taking a stand against Trump and ex-White House strategist and Breitbart chairman Stephen K. Bannon who has been vocal about disrupting the GOP establishment.
The fight between Moore and Jones is setting the temperature for the 2018 midterm elections. Should Moore win the battle, it gives President Donald Trump a tight grip on the Republican party and its base but also will open the door for Democrats to latch onto the growing cries that an alleged child predator has been allowed in the Senate and has the backing of the Commander-in-Chief. Trump used his pulpit on Twitter to urge Alabama residents to support Moore, someone who he initially did not support. Trump tweeted:
The people of Alabama will do the right thing. Doug Jones is Pro-Abortion, weak on Crime, Military and Illegal Immigration, Bad for Gun Owners and Veterans and against the WALL. Jones is a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet. Roy Moore will always vote with us. VOTE ROY MOORE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2017
First let’s see what happens tomorrow and then go from there.
For now the race is anyone’s guess. According to The Washington Post, the Republican stronghold of Mountain Brook, a suburb in Birmingham looked good for Jones, while Moore support was sparse.