Our View: Moore's loss can affect Wyoming

There’s going to be a lot of ink and airtime dedicated to trying to make sense of Republican Roy Moore’s defeat in Alabama to Democrat Doug Jones Tuesday night.

We think a good portion of his defeat is due in part by allegations of sexual assault, though the slim margin by which Moore was defeated would imply that those allegations weren’t a deal-breaker for a large number of voters.

Regardless of the hows and whys, we think Moore’s defeat can signal something to Wyoming voters, who will be making decisions regarding who will represent the state in Washington D.C., as well as who will lead Wyoming in the coming years.

First off, we’re hoping this defeat derails Steve Bannon’s so-called war on established Republicans, a group alleged to include Sen. John Barrasso. Please don’t read that as an endorsement for Barrasso, but the kind of campaign Bannon’s flunkies would want to wage in Wyoming wouldn’t be something matching our state’s values. We’re also extremely concerned with the possibility of a outsider moving to Wyoming for the sole reason of running against Barrasso, an act that threatens Wyoming’s home-grown voices in Wyoming.

As we’ve said previously, a Wyoming resident who legitimately wants help the state and represent it in Washington D.C., should run for the seat. Someone seeking election in Wyoming for the sole purpose of pushing someone’s agenda will not serve the state or its residents.

Another idea to take from Moore’s loss is that Democrats do have a chance in solidly Republican states. Yes, we think Moore’s defeat was partially influenced by allegations against him, but a Democrat was able to win a state that hadn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in the last 25 years.

This means Democrats certainly have a shot to win more seats in more-contested states, and may signal intolerance for the kind of conservative philosophy pushed by President Donald Trump, Bannon and others.

While it’s hard to tell if Democrats will be able to capitalize in Wyoming, we’re more certain that moderate Republicans will start seeking office at multiple levels throughout the state.

Hopefully, Moore’s defeat does signal a change in the national mood, with voters willing to move beyond the muck Bannon and others are willing to throw.