GOP/MIKE PENCE/POLITICS: “The upset defeat of Republican Roy Moore in Alabama’s special Senate election sparked finger-pointing Wednesday [12-13-17] between the GOP establishment, who opposed Mr. Moore, and Donald Trump’s insurgent allies led by Steve Bannon, who backed him.
The bickering set off by the victory of Democrat Doug Jones heightened anxieties about GOP prospects in the 2018 midterm elections, where Republicans will seek to hold onto their majorities in the U.S. Senate and House…
For his part, Mr. Bannon is already eyeing 10 Republican primaries in which he has endorsed or might back insurgent candidates. That sets up intra-party fights that could extend deep into the 2018 midterm primaries in states that include Montana, Tennessee and Arizona.
Meanwhile, the loss in Alabama will thin an already-narrow GOP Senate majority to 51-49, which will likely have its biggest impact when the Senate considers Mr. Trump’s judicial and executive-branch nominees next year.
Nominees, including Supreme Court justices, require only 50 votes to be confirmed, with Vice President Mike Pence casting a tiebreaking vote.”
-Janet Hook, Kristina Peterson, and Michael C. Bender, “Alabama Defeat Stokes Divisions Among Republicans,” The Wall Street Journal online, Dec. 13, 2017 07:27pm