United States: Democrat Doug Jones wins Republican stronghold Alabama in special Senate election
The former prosecutor’s victory is set to narrow the Republican majority in the United States Senate to 51-49.
United States Democrat Doug Jones won Alabama’s special Senate election on Tuesday by defeating Republican candidate Roy Moore after a high-pitched campaign marked by accusations of sexual abuse and child molestation against Moore, AP reported.
This was the first time a Democrat has won a Senate seat in Alabama in 25 years. The victory by Jones, an attorney and a former prosecutor, is set to narrow the Republican majority in the United States Senate to 51-49.
The special election for the Senate seat in Alabama took place after the seat fell vacant following Jeff Sessions’ resignation in February. His term would have ended on January 3, 2021. Sessions had quit the Senate to serve as the United States Attorney General.
Observing that he was “overwhelmed” by the win, Jones said, “At the end of the day, this entire race has been about dignity and respect.”
Jones’ victory proved to be a major embarrassment not only for the Republican party but also for President Donald Trump, who had endorsed Moore despite the allegations against him. Two women had claimed in November that Moore assaulted them when they were teenagers and many others said he had romantically pursued them when they were underage. Moore denied all the allegations.
On Tuesday, Trump congratulated Jones on Twitter in a short message, but said that the Republicans will have another shot at this seat soon.