Trump campaign for Luther Strange, held rallies, did local interviews and robocalls. None of it matters as a day of humiliation for this president ends with the rejection of the candidate that he endorsed by his own party.
Moore has been projected to defeat Strange:
Projection: Roy Moore (R) defeats Sen. Luther Strange (R) in #ALSEN GOP runoff.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) September 27, 2017
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The consequences of this defeat could be far ranging. Strange’s loss can only do more damage to the Trump/McConnell relationship. It also could signal the arrival of a Republican Senator who will be a massive headache to both Trump and McConnell. The myth that Trump has an invincible hold on the Republican Party has been shattered, and Moore’s win was a warning shot ahead of 2018 to both Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan that Republican voters are not happy with their Congressional leadership.
Trump was already hedging his bets by suggesting at a rally for Strange that he would campaign for Moore in the general election if he wins, so the President will find a way to throw everyone else in his party under the bus, but Trump injected himself into a Republican primary, and he got burned.
There is no way to avoid the conclusion that the rejection of Luther Strange showcased the declining influence of Donald Trump.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
