How Republicans reacted to Roy Moore's loss

Plus: What to know about Jones No Images? Click here         All The Republicans At Roy Moore’s Party Had The Same Reaction A visibly shaken, rambling Roy Moore told a venue full of his supporters that he’d “wait on God” for direction, minutes after he and his holier-than-thou Senate campaign collapsed in a devastating loss to a Democrat in Alabama. But if God did take the wheel Tuesday night, she was already on Interstate 65, hightailing it to Birmingham to kick it with election winner Doug Jones. Jones’ victory party would undoubtedly be more gracious than Moore’s sullen affair, with its tiny white-bread sandwich slivers and where a saxophone cover of Carlos Santana’s “Smooth” served as the night’s only respite. No sooner had the election map turned blue than the Republicans at this party began to point fingers. “There’s blood in the water for Mitch McConnell, it leads back to him. This room is gonna be walking out with a vengeance. We know who’s responsible,” said Chanel Rion, the 27-year-old fiancee of Missouri Senate candidate Courtland Sykes. Sykes himself was even more fire-and-brimstone, worried that establishment Republicans ― not Democrats ― were winning the war against “MAGA candidates,” a shorthand for President Donald Trump’s “make America great again” campaign slogan. “This is impossible. This is 100-percent an effort by the Washington establishment to keep Roy Moore out of it,” Sykes told HuffPost. “If they can put a Democrat in office in Alabama, in 2017, to replace Jeff Sessions, even after Donald Trump won by a landslide in 2016, that means they can replace anyone they want. We don’t have an honest republic if this can happen. Does that make sense?” READ MORE     WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING? Here's what you should know about Doug Jones, the Democrat who beat Roy Moore. Jones will be Alabama’s first Democratic senator in 25 years. READ MORE Minnesota's governor appointed Tina Smith, currently the state's lieutenant governor, to fill Al Franken's Senate seat. “There is no one I trust more to assume the responsibilities of this important office. I know that she will be a superb Senator, representing the best interests of our state and our citizens," said Gov. Mark Dayton.  READ MORE Knives are out for Steve Bannon following Doug Jones' victory in Alabama. “You have to nominate people who can actually win. Winners make policy, and losers go home," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. READ MORE    .     ICYMI The GOP brand is in big trouble — and so is its agenda.    Chuck Schumer wants the Senate's tax vote delayed until Doug Jones is seated. Republican lawmakers in the House and the Senate are hashing out the differences between their two tax bills behind closed doors this week, and final vote is expected sometime next week.   Democrats quietly pumped resources into Alabama to boost Jones' candidacy. They stayed behind the scenes, but they were involved in the Senate race for months.    . Want more?  Omarosa Manigault Newman Resigns From White House Donald Trump Reportedly Fuming Over Nikki Haley’s Comments Supporting His Accusers San Francisco Is Getting Its First Black Female Mayor     How will Trump’s administration impact you? Sign up for our email and find out. Did a friend send you this? Subscribe here. Like what you see? Share it. Want more? Here are two other newsletters you'll love: The Morning Email and Must Reads. ©2017 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe    . - - Preferences  |  Unsubscribe