2017 AL-SEN Roy Moore vs Nick Saban

[Tiger08]

How would the election have gone if legendary University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban had been the Democratic candidate instead of Doug Jones? Would Moore have lost by a bigger margin? Saban hasn't been very political, but he (a West Virginia native) has endorsed Joe Manchin in the past. Assuming Saban would run on a Manchin-esque platform, would he have won in a landslide over Moore?

[Alben Barkley]

He probably would have won by a much bigger margin. It would have been close even before the Moore scandals came out, but afterwards Saban would have taken a sizable lead. Saban is both a god to most of Alabama’s residents and, if he ran as a Manchin type, more moderate than Doug Jones. (Presumably including on the critical issue of abortion.) I don’t know if even he could have won a “landslide” over a Republican in Alabama though, even in these highly favorable circumstances, but he would likely have won by high single digits at least instead of the very slim margin Jones won by.

He’d also be in a better position to win this year. If Tuberville was still the nominee, he could have spun it into Alabama vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl Election, and in that state Alabama fans have a lopsided advantage over Auburn fans.

[Tiger08]

He probably would have won by a much bigger margin. It would have been close even before the Moore scandals came out, but afterwards Saban would have taken a sizable lead. Saban is both a god to most of Alabama’s residents and, if he ran as a Manchin type, more moderate than Doug Jones. (Presumably including on the critical issue of abortion.) I don’t know if even he could have won a “landslide” over a Republican in Alabama though, even in these highly favorable circumstances, but he would likely have won by high single digits at least instead of the very slim margin Jones won by.

He’d also be in a better position to win this year. If Tuberville was still the nominee, he could have spun it into Alabama vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl Election, and in that state Alabama fans have a lopsided advantage over Auburn fans.

I was thinking Saban would have done better in 2017 because he was running against the weaker opponent (Moore) AND because he went on a BLM march around campus with the players a couple months ago, which angered some Alabama fans

[Alben Barkley]

He probably would have won by a much bigger margin. It would have been close even before the Moore scandals came out, but afterwards Saban would have taken a sizable lead. Saban is both a god to most of Alabama’s residents and, if he ran as a Manchin type, more moderate than Doug Jones. (Presumably including on the critical issue of abortion.) I don’t know if even he could have won a “landslide” over a Republican in Alabama though, even in these highly favorable circumstances, but he would likely have won by high single digits at least instead of the very slim margin Jones won by.

He’d also be in a better position to win this year. If Tuberville was still the nominee, he could have spun it into Alabama vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl Election, and in that state Alabama fans have a lopsided advantage over Auburn fans.

I was thinking Saban would have done better in 2017 because he was running against the weaker opponent (Moore) AND because he went on a BLM march around campus with the players a couple months ago, which angered some Alabama fans

Well yeah, Saban would have been more favored in 2017 than 2020, but what I was saying is he would have a better chance this year than Jones does.

[NewYorkExpress]

Is Nick Saban even a Democrat?

If he is, he isn't beating Doug Jones in a primary without heretofore unknown political skills (Tuberville only won his primary because Trump supporters didn't want to return Sessions to the Senate)

If he isn't I don't think he beats both Roy Moore and Luther Strange in the Republican Primary. He'd probably go to a runoff with Strange and lose there.

As an Independent (his best chance), he'd probably do well at first, and maybe hold a lead for most of the race, but once there's a Republican nominee, he'd fall apart, unless Moore is the Republican nominee.

[Alben Barkley]

Is Nick Saban even a Democrat?

If he is, he isn't beating Doug Jones in a primary without heretofore unknown political skills (Tuberville only won his primary because Trump supporters didn't want to return Sessions to the Senate)

If he isn't I don't think he beats both Roy Moore and Luther Strange in the Republican Primary. He'd probably go to a runoff with Strange and lose there.

As an Independent (his best chance), he'd probably do well at first, and maybe hold a lead for most of the race, but once there's a Republican nominee, he'd fall apart, unless Moore is the Republican nominee.

The whole premise assumes he's the Democratic nominee going against Moore in 2017 though.

I also think you underestimate just how big college football is in Alabama. It's a bigger religion than Christianity. Since Alabama's Democratic primary voting base is largely black, Saban might have a hard time beating Jones (with his prestigious record on civil rights) in the primary, but then again maybe not. Black people are football fans too after all.

As for Saban's views, he has endorsed Manchin as mentioned so I assume he's probably a moderate Democrat or independent. He also participated in the BLM protests recently which further makes me suspect he's not a Republican.

[NewYorkExpress]

Is Nick Saban even a Democrat?

If he is, he isn't beating Doug Jones in a primary without heretofore unknown political skills (Tuberville only won his primary because Trump supporters didn't want to return Sessions to the Senate)

If he isn't I don't think he beats both Roy Moore and Luther Strange in the Republican Primary. He'd probably go to a runoff with Strange and lose there.

As an Independent (his best chance), he'd probably do well at first, and maybe hold a lead for most of the race, but once there's a Republican nominee, he'd fall apart, unless Moore is the Republican nominee.

The whole premise assumes he's the Democratic nominee going against Moore in 2017 though.

I also think you underestimate just how big college football is in Alabama. It's a bigger religion than Christianity. Since Alabama's Democratic primary voting base is largely black, Saban might have a hard time beating Jones (with his prestigious record on civil rights) in the primary, but then again maybe not. Black people are football fans too after all.

As for Saban's views, he has endorsed Manchin as mentioned so I assume he's probably a moderate Democrat or independent. He also participated in the BLM protests recently which further makes me suspect he's not a Republican.

I still think Saban would have a better chance running in a three way race as an Independent than running head-to-head in a Democratic Primary against Doug Jones.