Former President Donald Trump won the state by more than 25 points in 2020 and Tommy Tuberville (R) crushed Sen. Doug Jones (D) by 20. So, the not-all-that surprising news Monday that Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby (R) would not run for a seventh-term next November doesn't really change the overall battle for Senate control. Democrats just aren't likely to win an open seat race in Alabama -- particularly if Roy Moore (R) is gone from the sceneBut that doesn't mean Shelby's retirement doesn't matter, or won't have an impact on the Senate landscape going forward. Here's why: The Senate is a place where everyone is always watching to see what their colleagues do. And Shelby's retirement adds to the momentum of Republican senators announcing they will not be running reelection in November 2022.

Source: CNN February 08, 2021 18:22 UTC