If I were an Alabama republican, I would write-in Strange. No vote for the (likely) pedo, and no vote for a Democrat. Problem solved.
From the Atlanta mayoral election to the Virginia gubernatorial election and many others across the nation this year, Democratic enthusiasm has been seriously underestimated. I'm not saying I expect Doug Jones to win, but it's still possible folks.
I'll give you Virginia. However, the Atlanta Mayor's race was won by about 700 votes in both 2009, and 2017 (little change there).