Although the current poll numbers show that it is not likely, there still is a scary possibility that embattled Alabama GOP U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore could win the Senate race on December 12, 2017. The Senate vacancy that is being contested by Roy Moore and his Democratic rival Doug Jones, will be subject to an election contest in 2020. U.S. Senate terms are for six years; however, when vacancies occur, they are filled by special election contests. The victors in the special elections serve until the next regular election for a full six year term, which, in this case, will be in November 2020.

Whoever is elected in December will have to run again in 2020 to hold onto their seat. However, if Moore wins, it is likely that his term of office will be for less than one full day. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who was asked to resign by Moore, has made it clear that he has no intentions of seeing him seated in the United States Senate.

One fast-moving scenario

As this observer sees it, this is the likely scenario that would unfold if Roy Moore, by some fluke of reality beyond all of our imaginations, were to be elected:

1) Moore is elected on December 12, 2017.

2) On December 13, 2017, Mitch McConnell announces that he will launch an emergency bill to "expel" Moore from the Senate within minutes of his swearing-in by Vice President Pence.

3) In response to McConnnell's announcement, Pence has a press conference and announces that pursuant to his duties as President of the Senate, that he will, in fact, swear Moore into office in early January 2018.

4) Moore is sworn in by Pence in one of the small Senate chambers.

5) Immediately after Moore's swearing in, McConnell will introduce a measure to expel him from the Senate.

All other business of the Senate will be curtailed until further notice. McConnell will summon each and every current U.S. Senator to the Senate Floor, including those who found the allegations against Moore "very disturbing," to cast their votes.

6) Moore will be officially "expelled" from the United States Senate because the Senate will have voted to expel Moore by a vote of 99 to 1 (Moore's vote).

A most surprising possibility

Surprising as it may seem, it is a real possibility that Alabama Governor Kay Ivey will appoint herself as a United States Senator to replace Moore. Many observers have suggested that perhaps Ivey would appoint Attorney General Jeff Sessions to replace Moore. However, this is unlikely, because chances are that Sessions would not leave the Justice Department while the probe into the Russian interference with the U.S. Presidential election is still underway. As this observer sees it, it would look too suspicious for Sessions to leave the Justice Department in the middle of a Senate investigation. Plus it would make it very difficult for Sessions to have any credibility or influence with his peers in the Senate under such circumstances.

U.S. Senate seats are difficult to attain. Gubernatorial seats have term limits and often lead the former governors to a long retirement without many opportunities to be in the spotlight, especially in less high-profile states like Alabama. Senate terms, on the other hand, have no term limits and provide the incumbents with a lot of opportunities to be in the national spotlight. Senator Ivey you say? Don't laugh, because if Roy Moore is elected in December, that might become a household name overnight. And Mitch McConnell will finally get a full night's sleep!!!
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