The Wheelhouse

Last night saw the unlikeliest of upsets in Alabama. Democrat Doug Jones, propelled by a big turnout from the state's urban and suburban voters, very narrowly defeated Republican Roy Moore in a special election that could have big consequences in Washington - and even in Connecticut. 

Leave out for a minute any analysis of what this means as a referendum on Trumpian politics, or the race for congress in 2018, this win by Jones could mean that Republicans’ tax bill is in jeopardy. 

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In a move that signals a shift in the health care market, CVS/Health announced a $69 billion deal to buy Aetna - the third largest insurer in the nation. This would be one of the biggest health care deals of all time, and would leave Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini with a sweet $500 million payout.

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Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen announced this week that he will not be seeking a third term. This leaves two huge holes to fill - AG and Governor - with no clear front-runners.

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Allegations against Alabama Republican Roy Moore -- who is accused of sexual misconduct with minors -- don't seem to be stopping his bid for the U.S. Senate. On Tuesday, President Trump openly endorsed him, saying we should believe Moore because "he said it didn't happen." 

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Attorney General - and former Senator - Jeff Sessions has spent more time on Capitol Hill than he’d like over the last few months, again facing tough questioning about what he did and didn’t know about contacts between Russia and the Trump campaign he was a part of. 

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This hour, we review the results of local elections across the state, and look at races across the country -- many of which were swept by democrats, including formerly republican gubernatorial seats in Virginia and New Jersey. Some are saying that's a blow to President Trump. 

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Two famous Connecticut families have their names enshrined on buildings and roads. Both are back in the news for different reasons this week. 

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We’ve been searching for months to find the right words to describe what’s it’s been like watching state lawmakers and the governor try to come together on a budget deal for the state. Senator Martin Looney, Democrat from New Haven has likened it to the process of having a prolonged tooth abscess that's finally being extracted. "A combination of exhaustion, pain, and relief," he said. 

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The President is in a heated back and forth with Senator John McCain, about comments McCain made at an event Monday night -- warning the United States against turning toward "half-baked, spurious nationalism." Trump's also getting pushback for not reaching out sooner to the families of soldiers who died in a recent attack in Niger.

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A feud between President Trump and "Liddle Bob Corker," Republican Senator from Tennessee, is creating tension between the president and the GOP. This is on top of reports that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Trump a "moron." 

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