Alabama a Harbinger for 2018?

R oy Moore was hardly an ideal candidate for Republicans in Alabama but Democrats still see his loss as an encouraging sign that could portend a flip of control in the Senate in 2018.

According to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll published on Sunday 50% of registered voters now say they prefer a Democratic-controlled Congress while only 39% want Republicans in charge. That’s the largest margin for Democrats since 2008 right before President Obama was elected and the party made huge gains in the Senate.

The race for the Senate seat in Alabama was close. Though he was dogged by charges of impropriety and immoral conduct Moore lost by only 20 000 votes or about 1.5% of the vote. According to a Washington Post analysis of the election Democratic voter turnout surged while Republicans unhappy with Moore as their candidate stayed home. Still a Republican lost in a state where Donald Trump outdueled Hillary Clinton by 28 points.

Before Democrats start stocking up champagne bottles for next year’s midterm elections however they should be careful to draw the appropriate lessons from the results says Democratic campaign strategist Hank Sheinkopf.