Everybody knows what a Hail Mary is.

You throw it at the last second because the normal game plan failed, and there is nothing left to lose.

That is what some of these late campaign moves started to look like.

In the lieutenant governor’s race, supporters of Secretary of State Wes Allen rolled out an attention-grabbing ad strategy. In the Senate primary, supporters of Jared Hudson tried to make military record questions central to the closing argument against Congressman Barry Moore.

The problem with Hail Mary plays is that they usually happen after the game has already tilted too far.

Because if campaigns believe they are comfortably ahead, they do not suddenly change the entire conversation at the end.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.