Stars fell on Alabama

I haven't been so happy watching TV since the last time my team went to the Rose Bowl!  I'm of course talking about watching Doug Jones eke out a Democratic win in the Alabama Senate race.

After the champagne bottles are put away, and Roy Moore finally concludes that neither God nor the Alabama elections officials are going to intervene to reverse the decision, the Democratic party will want to mull over the implications of their win.

First, no one thought Jones could win (and he probably wouldn't have won but for the allegations regarding Moore's personal conduct).  But he fought for the win both before and after those allegations came to light.  You never assume the cause is hopeless (Jones didn't, even when it really did seem hopeless); you also never assume you have it in the bag (as the Democrats did a year ago in the states of the Rust Belt).  You fight for every vote right down to election night.

Second, American politics is always local.  Jones knew his state.  He knew what he could support and what was best left unsaid.  He knew how to appeal to Alabamans, at least to those who were open to persuasion.  I listened to his victory speech, and admired the combination of sophistication, generosity, and down-home Southern charm.  He was a winner, and would have been a winner even if he hadn't won.

Third, and related to the above, don't impose litmus tests on candidates.  Alabama is a tough state nowadays for a Democrat.  Jones was a perfect candidate and he almost lost.  Bernie Sanders -- whose ideals can't be faulted and whose honesty is both an asset and a problem at times -- could never have won in Alabama (even assuming he lived there).  The Republicans over the past twenty years have denounced some of their most prominent and intelligent office holders as RINOs -- "Republicans In Name Only."  Let's not do that.  Democrats have always been a "big tent" party, an inclusive party.  Let's stay that way.  Let's be happy with a half loaf occasionally, when the alternative is no loaf at all -- but always fight for the whole loaf until it's time to make the hard choices.

Fourth, energizing the black vote was crucial to the win in Alabama.  Energizing votes of other ethnic groups will be equally crucial in other states.  Considering the positions of today's GOP, such energizing shouldn't be difficult.  Get those voters to the polls.

Fifth, recognize that the Republicans have handed us a gift.  Over the past twenty years they have largely alienated a group that was once a primary component of their base -- the educated, suburban middle class.  Like the black vote, the suburban vote in Alabama was crucial -- both the votes for Doug, the write in votes for others, and the passive vote of those staying home.  The high turnout in the black areas was crucial, and so was the low turnout in the suburbs.  That low turnout was the best that could be hoped for in Alabama, but in other states -- like Washington -- I've watched the wealthy suburbs swing completely from Republican to Democratic in a couple of decades.  Democrats need to satisfy this group as well as other more traditional Democratic constituencies.

It was an exciting evening.  I hope it's a precursor of the coming year's elections.  I hope strategists for the Democratic party learn from it, and make wise decisions in the coming campaign.