In a disappointing development to President Trump and the great GOP establishment, former Alabama Supreme Court chief judge Roy Moore has won the state’s Republican Senate runoff held on Tuesday evening.
Moore claimed victory by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent when the Associated Press called the result at about 9:30 p.m. ET. It is no doubt that his conservative ideology which enthused party grassroots mostly Baptists and evangelicals earned him his historic win.
Moore’s win marks the beginning of an insurgents wings onslaught against incumbent Republican Senators which is great challenge for the establishment Republicans and the party’s future. It is undoubtedly an evidence of growing frustration from the voters base with the incumbent Republicans.
Moore, with the support of erstwhile White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and popular conservative and former Alaska gov. Sarah Palin ran as an unabashed opponent of the Washington establishment and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) which saw more than $10 million coughed into the race on in Strange’s support.
Upon his victory, Moore took the stage at his victory rally in Montgomery and doused tensions about his opposing stand with Trump’s agendas.
He said: “We can make America great, we can support the president. Don’t let anyone in the press think that because he supported my opponent that I do not support him and support his agenda”.
“As long as its constitutional, as long as it advances our society, our culture, our country, I will be supportive”, he added.
President Trump was in Alabama last Friday night to ramp support for the Luther Strange, but that presidential support didn’t have much impact to push the former Alabama Attorney General ahead of Moore.
Despite his loss, Strange made sure to thank the president and vice president for their support during his election night speech in his hometown of Homewood.
He said: “The president took a chance, he didn’t have to come down”.
“I’m sure he’ll be criticized for coming to campaign for me. But that’s what loyal friends do”, he added.
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