Alabama is watching Doug Jones and the state's junior U.S. Senator sounds as if he can feel your eyeballs.

The argument could be made that Jones is facing his most critical decision in his brief tenure as a senator - a decision that, for the sake of his political career, could reverberate for years.

Alabama is watching Doug Jones because he is a Democrat in a ruby-red state that, according to at least one recent poll, loves President Trump more than any other state.

Alabama is watching Doug Jones because some time later this year, he must vote to confirm or vote to reject Trump's Supreme Court nominee.

Even Alabama's longtime Republican senior senator, Richard Shelby, is publicly pressuring Jones to ratify the candidacy of Brett Kavanaugh.

"It would serve Jones well in the state of Alabama to support a conservative judge for the Supreme Court," Shelby was quoted as saying last week in a tweet by Fox News reporter Chad Pergram. Shelby's office confirmed to AL.com that the quote was an accurate representation of the senator's thinking.

GOP AL Sen Shelby on Dem AL Sen Doug Jones & Brett Kavanaugh: "It would serve Jones well in the state of Alabama to support a conservative judge for the Supreme Court" — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) July 11, 2018

And the country, to an extent, is watching Doug Jones. His vote could be seen as a potentially decisive "aye" for Brett Kavanaugh because Trump's Republican Party cannot afford a single defector to assure Kavanaugh sits on the high court.

Republicans have only a 51-49 edge in the Senate, an advantage that has essentially dropped by one given that Sen. John McCain is home in Arizona fighting terminal brain cancer and isn't expected to vote.

Time magazine listed Jones in an online story last week under the headline: "The 7 Senators to Watch on Brett Kavanaugh's Confirmation." The magazine wrote that Jones "is another red-state Democrat who will feel pressure" to back Kavanaugh.

"He will be up for re-election in 2020, which means he will not face the same immediate pressure as the other red-state Democrats on this list but does have to worry about being on the same ballot as Trump, who will surely make a 'no' vote an issue," the Time piece opined.

The calendar may say 2018 but Jones' vote on Kavanaugh may well be the first campaign ad of his 2020 pursuit at re-election whether he wants it that way or not.

Reject Kavanaugh and the Republican-heavy electorate in Alabama that chose him over GOP nominee Roy Moore in last year's special election may have a reason to delivered on a platter to reject Jones in two years. Support Kavanaugh - and, by extension, support Trump - and Jones could have a strong piece of evidence that even as a Democrat, he's responsive to the wishes of the people in Alabama.

"The safest thing politically for him is to probably vote to confirm," said Jess Brown, a retired political science professor at Athens State University.

As Alabama watches Doug Jones, the Birmingham native is getting constant reminders.

The Judicial Crisis Network has launched a $1.4 million ad buy in four Republican-leaning states that have Democratic senators, including Alabama. The 30-second commercial quickly summarizes Kavanaugh's background, describing him as "the best of the best."

"Strong and independent, he applies the Constitution just as it was written," the narrator says near the end of the spot.

The purpose of the ad is simple: To remind Alabamians to remind Jones that they are watching.

"They want to try to move public opinion and let the senator back home know that his constituents understand the merits of this candidate," Brown said. "They're trying to mold public opinion in a red state to prod that red-state Democrat."

Another reminder comes from the Senate Leadership Fund - major players in last year's Senate Republican primary for running attack ads against opponents of former Sen. Luther Strange. The SLF works closely with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"Senate Democratic Leadership has made it clear that red-state Democrats like Doug Jones are going it alone," SLF spokesman Chris Pack said last week in a statement. "The more Jones votes with the radical and unhinged members of his political party, the more difficult his reelection will become."

Of course, such an advisory from the Republican group is disingenuous given that no matter what happens on the Kavanaugh vote, Jones will be the opposition come 2020.

Still, it reiterates the significance of Jones' vote.

As those figurative walls close in on Jones pushing him toward supporting Kavanaugh, the young senator is attempting to push back - not against the nominee necessarily but against the walls themselves.

"You're not going to see me pick a side," Jones said last week. "It is not my job, as some members of the Alabama delegation and others might think, to simply rubber stamp what the president does nor is it my responsibility to simply do what so many in my party are saying they are already going to do.

"I'm going to take an independent look at this nominee and do what I ultimately believe is in the best interests of my state and my country."

The reference to "some members of the Alabama delegation" was not directed at Shelby, according to Jones' spokesman.

Instead, that comment was likely aimed at U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, a Republican from Fairhope who has made it no secret he is considering running for the Senate in 2020. While meeting with reporters last weekend in Mobile and before Kavanaugh had been announced as the nominee, Byrne urged Jones to back Trump's then-unknown candidate.

"(Jones) should have an opportunity to get a full vetting on whoever it is," Byrne said. "But I hope Sen. Jones will do the right thing and support President Trump's pick because I think President Trump's (nominee) will be the pick of the vast majority of the people in the state of Alabama."

From Shelby's "it would serve Jones well" to Byrne's "do the right thing," the exhortations are clear. Alabama is watching.

And 2020 is getting closer every day.

"In 2020," Brown said if Jones votes for Kavanaugh, "Doug Jones is going to be able to argue that 'I go to Washington to represent Alabama and defend Alabama interests. I don't go to Washington to be an ideologue. I don't go to Washington to lick the fanny of any president - Democratic or Republican. I don't go to Washington to carry the party line one way or the other. I'm Alabama's independent voice in Washington.'"