In Alabama a GOP primary is coming up tonight to select a Republican candidate for the Senate seat formerly held by current United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Luther Strange, former Alabama Attorney General, was appointed to the seat by Governor Robert Bentley, who Strange was investigating at the time; Bentley resigned a short time later in a sex scandal, and his successor called for an early special election, rendering Strange a short incumbent, whose story remains fresh in the mind of voters.
Also in the race is former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was boosted out of the Alabama Supreme Court twice, once for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument, and once for refusing to enforce the SCOTUS decision legalizing same sex marriage.
And least offensive is current US Representative Mo Brooks.
But what has my attention is their apparent tone-deafness, as CNN is reporting:
On Alabama’s airwaves, the candidates’ ads have largely focused on the candidates’ support for Trump.
And, to be sure, Trump has injected himself into the race — recording a robo-call on Strange’s behalf Monday after twice tweeting his endorsement.On the campaign trail, though, the three major candidates have all taken pains to never cross Trump — including Monday, when none would criticize Trump’s initial comments on the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
If and when the President goes down in humiliation and disgrace, those who are associating him will certainly be singed by the blowback. I am aware that Trump remains fairly popular among Republicans, although even that is notably lower than normal.
But it should be clear that Trump is not a horse to be ridden to victory, and that this primary should have been an opportunity for one of these candidates to step up and claim the mantle of leadership, not indentured servitude. To say, “Hey, no, I think Trump is inappropriate as President, and as your Senator I will hold him to the highest standard, and if he doesn’t meet those standards, and the opportunity presents itself, I will vote to replace him.”
But these candidates seem to not be aware of their world crumbling around them. While I expect this Senate seat to remain in Republican hands, it could be a very interesting special election come November.
