It took an extraordinarily unsuccessful series of choices, by Republican leaders, to make the Alabama race competitive even *before* the Moore scandal. Let’s review them in choose-your-adventure form.
You’re President-elect Trump. You have to choose an attorney general. Do you:
(1) Reward Jeff Sessions for loyalty, knowing it will prompt a potentially messy special election
(2) Pick one of many non-senators available to the job, at the risk of disappointing your (then-)friend
OK, you chose (1). Now you’re Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and you have to name a senator. Do you:
(1) Name an uncontroversial placeholder who won’t seek a full term
(2) Name a highly popular and well known politician
(3) Pick the state AG who is currently investigating you
You picked (3)! Great. But oh no, you had to resign in your own scandal. Now you’re the new gov, Kay Ivey. Do you:
(1) Leave the special election alone and let Luther Strange serve through 2018
(2) Move up the election to Dec. 12, 2017
Welp, you chose (2). Now you’re Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the race is getting messy. Do you:
(1) Stay out of it
(2) Use your super PAC to nuke Roy Moore
(3) Ignore Roy Moore, trust Luther to beat him 1 on 1, and nuke a third candidate, House hard-liner Mo Brooks
OK, you chose (3). Yikes. Your guy lost the primary and Roy Moore, who you hate, is the Republican nominee. Do you:
(1) Grudgingly endorse him but close your checkbook
(2) Endorse him and go all-out to beat Doug Jones
(3) Shun Moore & immediately start recruiting a 3rd candidate
Well, you chose (1) and things have settled down a bit. It’s Nov. 9. Do you:
(1) Take a big sip of coffee and check the website of the Washington Post.
(2) Take a HUGE sip of coffee and check the website of the Washington Post.
I hope you’ve all enjoyed this game. The point, obviously, is that if at any point, any of the other paths had been taken, Rs might never have had to worry about this election in a serious way, or find themselves painted into a corner with Roy Moore when the scandal broke.
However this turns out tomorrow, the election developed as a hugely unlikely event, shaped by human choices and their unintended consequences. None of it was inevitable. -- 30 --
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