Challenges ahead after Democrats' surprise win in Alabama

WHETHER the Republican or the Democratic candidate triumphed in the special Senate election in Alabama this week did not really matter since under either scenario, the Republicans would have lost and the Democrats would have won.

No one would have been surprised or even shocked if the Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore had emerged the winner on Tuesday night.

After all, Alabama - like its neighbouring state of Mississippi - is part of what is known as the Deep South, and by definition, a very, very Red Republican state, where the last time a Democrat was elected to the Senate was 25 years ago.