If the Republicans painstakingly examine their epic series of mistakes, their stunning loss in the Alabama U.S. Senate race could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
As it is now, the GOP should be scared stiff after losing a supposedly rock solid Senate seat. But that one seat may be a relatively small price to pay if the GOP learns one very important lesson that could save it in the 2018 midterm elections and beyond.
The lesson they need to learn is that in politics, it's all about the big picture. No one member of any party can get what he or she wants unless that party wins elections first. It's as simple as that.
That's also why Alabama is such a potentially big gift for the Republicans. There isn't a redder state on the map, but that election proved that losing sight of the national big picture can be fatal anywhere. Those who are pushing for everyone from McConnell to rank-and-file GOP primary voters to focus on the big picture couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present.
Based on past efforts (including a poll of it's members) to discover why and where they went wrong in an election, the GOP will double down on candidates like Moore.
