Mitch McConnell, Albatross

Controversial firebrand Roy Moore’s primary victory Tuesday over appointed Alabama senator Luther Strange to run for the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions wasn't even close. Moore won the race by nearly 10 points.

One way to view the result is simply to say that all politics are local. Strange was appointed to Sessions’ vacant seat by disgraced then-Gov. Robert Bentley, who was in the middle of a major sex and corruption scandal that led to his resignation. As the state attorney general, Strange called on the Alabama legislature to suspend the impeachment investigation. Strange's appointment by Bentley was widely perceived as a quid pro quo, and Alabama voters registered their disgust by voting against Strange last night, even in spite of the fact Moore is so right-wing even Alabama Republican voters have reservations.

That’s not the only lens through which to study Strange's loss. It was another in a long line of tactical errors by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who backed the horse favored by the D.C. establishment, rather than a candidate more amenable to conservative voters.

Political consultant Jordan Gehrke has posted a memo about the race arguing that's exactly what happened. And not only that, he suggests the imprimatur of support from Mitch McConnell actively makes any Republican senate candidate toxic to the grassroots.

To be perfectly clear, Gehrke is not a disinterested observer of the race. He was involved in running Rep. Mo Brooks's campaign for the Alabama Senate seat before Trump endorsed Luther Strange, knocking Brooks out of the race last month. After that, Gehrke went to work to elect Roy Moore. Gehrke also claims that “Mitch McConnell and his political team threatened GOP consultants and made clear that any consultant working against Luther Strange would be punished with a loss of business,” including his firm.