Cory Gardner Called Hero, Sh*thead After Judge Roy Moore's Shocking Loss

Colorado Senator Cory Gardner is being both celebrated and castigated for his role in the apparent defeat of fellow Republican Judge Roy Moore in Alabama's U.S. Senate election yesterday, December 12. As is clear from a collection of tweets on view below, those who backed Moore's opponent, Democrat Doug Jones, see Gardner's decision to criticize and withhold financial support from Moore as a heroic act, while fans of the judge and President Donald Trump, who offered the alleged sexual assaulter his full-throated endorsement, see his moves as downright traitorous to the GOP cause.

Gardner became a player in the Jones-Moore drama because of his position as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, an organization charged with making sure folks from his party win election or re-election. He kept his love from Moore, however, and that's not all. In the days and weeks prior to election day, he not only said the Senate should vote to expel the judge should he emerge victorious, but he withdrew offers of NRSC cash after accusations of sexual impropriety decades ago surfaced.

As it became clear last night that Moore was going to fall short, the Rachel Maddow-led crew on MSNBC speculated about whether Gardner might take heat for his positions — and it's likely that his relationship could get awkward with Trump, who's not exactly a forgive-and-forget kinda guy. But Gardner is playing the long game from a personal standpoint. In 2020, he'll be up for re-election in Colorado, a state that's currently either purple or blue, depending on your point of view — and love letters to Moore would certainly have been used against him by his future Dem opponent.

Now Gardner doesn't have to deal with that probability — and the statement he issued after the Moore collapse represents an artful attempt to refute the turncoat label. "Tonight’s results are clear — the people of Alabama deemed Roy Moore unfit to serve in the U.S. Senate," he wrote, adding, "I hope Senator-elect Doug Jones will do the right thing and truly represent Alabama by choosing to vote with the Senate Republican Majority."

The odds of the latter happening are mighty slim. In the meantime, though, Gardner is being showered with Twitter love and Twitter hate in roughly equal measure. Here are our picks for the ten most memorable examples. Count them down below.

Number 10:

Indeed...The turncoat repubs including Senator Cory Gardner, Richard Shelby, McConnell and, and, and list too long..We'd have a Senator Moore had it not been for them. It's sad. #MAGA #TRUMP2020

— TinaMariaCavale (@TinaMariaCavale) December 13, 2017

Number 9:

Bama election sign that, since cheating, lies & underhanded tactics still seem to work, expect more of same from Activist Left. Plus, our CO jr Sen Cory Gardner has figurative blood on hands -- from a strictly partisan, internecine political standpoint -- for key anti-Moore role

— Phil Ross (@fodderphil) December 13, 2017

Number 8:

People within the GOP are trying to blame Mitch McConnell & Cory Gardner for Roy Moore loss. Let me say this: I can care less about the fate of McConnell & Gardner but this fate of the Republican Party is on their complicity to accept Trump & Bannon. They're ALL to blame.

— Bool & Balm (@izuready) December 13, 2017

Number 7:

Heroes and Zeroes of the GOP after the Alabama Election:

Heroes- Richard Shelby, Jeff Flake, Cory Gardner, Mitch McConnell

Zeroes- Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, Roy Moore, RW Infotainment Establishment

— Alex Welch (@awelch744) December 13, 2017

Number 6:

I think the happiest people in DC right now are Mitch McConnell and Cory Gardner. Although they would like another R in the Senate, they didn't want to deal with Roy Moore fallour.

— Thrush_Nimrod (@Thrush_Nimrod) December 13, 2017

Number 5:

Quality playing both sides by Cory Gardner who refused to back Moore to save his own behind in the general but lamely trolls Jones to protect his own behind in the primary. https://t.co/0GMEft5ptc

— Jesse Lee (@JesseCharlesLee) December 13, 2017

Number 4:

Oh, by the way. Roy Moore is refusing to concede and Cory Gardner is expecting Doug Jones to vote Republican, but dooooo go on about how the party of traitors and child rapists is handling this loss with dignified grace and equanimity, won't you? I'm ever so interested.

— Alexandra Erin Experiences a THRILL OF HOPE (@alexandraerin) December 13, 2017

Number 3:

Senator Gardner is on thin ice in Colorado... even though Roy Moore, his lack of spine in this and numerous other incidents will follow him to the polls... take pictures Senator, your stay is coming to a close...

— TIM HOUSAND (@HOUSANDTIM) December 13, 2017

Number 2:

Don’t backtrack on Moore. You and the rest of pathetic GOP backed a child molester and lost. You’re next Gardner. Signed, CO constituent.

— Jon Mariz (@jspeedman) December 13, 2017

Number 1:

Gardner actually refused to let the NRSC pick Moore up again, as the RNC did.

he's still a shithead tho

— this lukewarm catastrophe (@rone) December 13, 2017