Experts: Roy Moore Victory in Alabama Signals 'Revolution' Against DC Establishment
09-27-2017
Judge Roy Moore's defeat of incumbent Republican Sen. Luther Strange in Alabama's special election Tuesday has political experts now predicting incumbents could lose in primaries across the country.
Conservative political consultant Jordan Gehrke says, "There is blood in the water now, and more conservative candidates who are hostile to the establishment are primed to step forward."
Former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, who campaigned for Moore, called the victory the beginning of a "revolution" against incumbents in Washington.
Bannon, speaking to Moore supporters at a victory celebration Tuesday night, said the announcement by Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) that he'll retire at the end of 2018 was proof that the political establishment is running scared.
"Last night we talked about starting a revolution with Judge Moore's victory. Well, Sen. Corker stepped down today, he's not going to run for reelection," Bannon said.
Political analyst Rick Shaftan said of Moore's victory, "We're going to see a lot more of this."
"Last night we talked about starting a revolution with Judge Moore's victory. Well, Sen. Corker stepped down today, he's not going to run for reelection," Bannon said.
Political analyst Rick Shaftan said of Moore's victory, "We're going to see a lot more of this."
"The biggest issue among conservatives is, are we going to undo the damage that Barack Obama and previous presidents have done to our country?" Shaftan said. "People want to see action in Congress. People are becoming very frustrated (with the lack of conservative legislative victories like the stalled Obamacare repeal), and that creates a climate for any number of anti-establishment candidates that are running this year to make the case that we need a new Republican party."
Gerhke called the Moore victory a "stunning loss" for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and questioned whether McConnell was now a "dead weight" around the necks of GOP Senators up for re-election.
But for the Republican party overall, Shaftan is upbeat about its chances in 2018, saying, "People may not like Donald Trump on a personal level, but they like what they see (in his policies) and what they don't like is what other side (the Democratic Party) has to offer. "
