MIssissippi is NOT Alabama

[SoCalDem]

Alabama DID select a democrat, BUT the candidate was still a white man..

They had a white man (Moore) who was basically an admitted pedophile... and "the other guy"

Jones was not running for a full 6 yr term, so it was easier for republicans to support him, knowing that in a few years, they would/could remove him..

Had Jones been a black man, Moore would have won.

................................................................................

The "south" is still the south

Do voter purges affect white voters??? probably not so much.

Young black men rarely make it to adulthood without police contact that can render them voteless..

Secretaries of state/governors/state legislators tend to be republican

Republican vote-meisters are not even trying to be deceptive these days.. We learned that waaaaay back in (Florida) and just before the 2000 election..

Got a "non-Amuuricun" sounding name ? you're off the rolls... Cuban names were probably safe, since back then they still voted republican, but first names of non white constituents are pretty easy to flag for "disposal"...especially if they are registered as democrats..

What's even scarier now is that Trump has dragged all the closeted racists down from the attic and has placed them front & center...bellowing their nonsense loud and proud

[qazplm135]

1. I'll just be interested to see if it's within single digits

to be honest.

[gratuitous]

2. True enough

But not so very long ago, Alabama was NOT Alabama.

No, I don't expect Mike Espy (an excellent candidate, by the way) to win in Mississippi this time around. But if Democrats keep showing up with good, credible candidates who have some financial backing, Mississippi could begin to turn. It will probably start at the low local levels, but when government becomes more responsive to more citizens, people find out that they like getting good service from their government.

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

3. One difference, though...

37% of MS is Black
25% (still high versus the national level's 13%) of Alabama is Black.

[WeekiWater]

4. Republicans really didn't support Jones. At all.

The numbers are pretty clear on that. Many simply sat it out.

[SoCalDem]

6. The fact that they sat it out

combined with the overwhelming support of black voters was just enough...

I don't see that happening today.. Even if all the 37% showed up, I don't see republicans sitting this one out.. I hope I'm wrong..

[WeekiWater]

7. I agree with you on that. NT

[In It to Win It]

5. New Motto: Every state is a swing state

[Power 2 the People]

8. You make a great point but I choose to remain hopeful.

[Bradshaw3]

9. Too bad because Espy is a great candidate

Experienced, thoughtful and just a decent guy. If only they elected people on those qualities rather than race Georgia and Florida would have Democratic governors.

[Awsi Dooger]

10. Trump's approval was considerably lower in December 2017

37% compiled by 538, and 35% according to Gallup.

Everything had to fall together perfectly to narrowly swipe a senate seat in Alabama.

It should be understood as a wild outlier, not as example toward what to expect elsewhere. There was too much hope toward regaining the senate in 2018, based partially on that one outcome.