Alabama Voters Pick Democrat Doug Jones
Former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones handed Republican Roy Moore a stunning blow in Tuesday’s special Senate election for the seat formerly held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The results capped off an intense race defined in recent weeks by allegations of sexual misconduct against Moore from decades ago. Moore did not concede late Monday evening.
Unofficial results showed Jones with 49.7 percent of the vote to Moore’s 48.6 percent. Jones shored up his strongest support in Jefferson, Madison, and Mobile counties. He also won in Alabama’s Black Belt counties, where the state’s poorest, mostly African American residents live. Jones ran an active campaign, with canvassers going door to door daily, running phone banks, holding popular benefit concerts and courting the state’s black voters.
Republicans were deeply divided over their support of Moore. Christian evangelicals in white, rural areas made up Moore’s base. President Donald Trump in the days leading up to the election urged Alabama voters to support the twice-removed former Alabama Supreme Court Justice in Tuesday’s race, as did Steve Bannon, head of the far-right news site Breitbart. But Moore declared war on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell early on in his campaign, with calls to “drain the swamp” a common refrain.
Senior Republican Sen. Richard Shelby told reporters he could not vote for Moore, and instead voted for a write-in. Several women accused Moore of pursuing them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30’s. The encounters ranged from sexual assault to sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl.
Many Republican voters in the days leading up to the election had expressed their disappointment with Moore. Some vowed to sit out the election, while others would cast a write-in ballot. More than 22,000 voters wrote in a candidate Tuesday.
Jones spoke to an elated crowd of supporters from a hotel in Birmingham Tuesday night. “I have always believed that the people of Alabama had more in common than to divide us,” Jones said during his victory speech to an elated crowd. He promised to address health care, jobs, and the economy.
Jones said Alabama has taken the wrong path in the past. “Alabama has been at a crossroads … tonight, ladies and gentleman, you have taken the right road,” he said.
This is the first time Alabamians have elected a Democrat to the Senate in 25 years.
How could the U.S. strikes in Iran affect the world’s oil supply?
Despite sanctions, Iran is one of the world's major oil producers, with much of its crude exported to China.
Why is the U.S. attacking Iran? Six things to know
The U.S. and Israel launched military strikes in Iran, targeting Khamenei and the Iranian president. "Operation Epic Fury" will be "massive and ongoing," President Trump said Saturday morning.
Sen. Tim Kaine calls on the Senate to vote on the war powers resolution
NPR's Scott Simon talks to Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., about the U.S. strikes on Iran.
Iran strikes were launched without approval from Congress, deeply dividing lawmakers
Top lawmakers were notified about the operation shortly before it was launched, but the White House did not seek authorization from Congress to carry out the strikes.
Political science expert weighs in on Iran’s nuclear program in light of U.S. strikes
NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Ariane Tabatabai, the Public Service Fellow at Lawfare, about U.S. attacks on Iran and how President Trump's calls for regime change might be received there.
Week in Politics: Does Trump have political support for his actions in Iran?
We look at what President Trump's decision to attack Iran means, what kind of support he has in Iran and what this moment means for his administration.
