Democrat Jones officially declared winner over Moore

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Democrat Doug Jones’ historic victory over Republican Roy Moore was declared official Thursday as Alabama election officials certified him the winner of the special Senate election, despite Moore’s last-minute lawsuit claiming voter fraud.

Jones defeated Moore on Dec. 12 by 21,924 votes in a stunning victory in a traditionally red state, becoming the first Alabama Democrat elected to the Senate victory in a quarter-century. The win came after Moore, best known for stands against gay marriage and the public display of the Ten Commandments, was dogged by accusations of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls that occurred decades ago.

Jones said in a statement that he looked forward to going to work for the people of Alabama in the new year.

“As I said on election night, our victory marks a new chapter for our state and the nation,” he said. “I will be an independent voice and work to find common ground with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get Washington back on track and fight to make our country a better place for all.”

Jones will be sworn in on Jan. 3, narrowing the GOP’s advantage in the U.S. Senate to 51-49. He takes over the seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

In a brief meeting Thursday at the Alabama Capitol, the governor, attorney general and secretary of state signed paperwork certifying the final ballot numbers. It was a quiet punctuation mark to a tumultuous election marked by the misconduct accusations and Moore’s eleventh-hour legal fight.

Moore had refused to concede his loss to Jones and filed a last-ditch lawsuit hours before the certification, saying he believed there were voting irregularities that should be investigated. A judge denied his request to stop the election certification. Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said his office has so far found no evidence of fraud.

In a brief statement, Moore stood by his claims that the election was fraudulent and said he had to fight Democrats and over $50 million in opposition spending from the Washington establishment. He said he had no regrets.

“I have stood for the truth about God and the Constitution for the people of Alabama,” he said.

On election night, Moore had pegged his hopes on votes from military serviceman and provisional ballots. The offi-

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