I would like to point out that the Jefferson County (AL) sheriff race went to an African-American Democrat, winning over a guy from the family that has had a member be sheriff 55 of the last 60 years! The Republican was not a “bad” sheriff, had no strong negatives.
The other guy just beat him. This probably would not have happened without the renewed energy in the Democratic Party in the area (courtesy of the Republicans having an awful nominee in Roy Moore and and awful president in Trump).