2017 U.S. Senate Race Archives - Page 2 of 6 - BirminghamWatch
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2017 U.S. Senate Race

Jones Certified Winner of Alabama Senate Seat Despite Moore’s Objections

State officials certified the election of Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate Thursday despite a last-minute legal attempt by Jones’ opponent, Roy Moore, to stop the process. According to the certified vote tally Jones won with 673,896 votes, 49.97 percent of the vote, over Moore’s 651,972 votes, 48.34 percent — a margin of victory of 21,924 votes, or 1.63 percent. Of the 22,852 write-in votes counted, Jones received 18 and Moore received 14. Compared to the unofficial vote count, Jones gained 2,745 votes, while Moore gained 1,536 votes. “I’m looking forward to going to work for the people of Alabama in the new year,” Jones said in a statement after the certification. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Super PACs Wield Millions to Elect and to Defeat Senate Candidates

Independent committees aligned with Republicans and Democrats spent almost $7 million this year on television advertisements and other efforts to defeat Roy Moore in his bid to become Alabama’s junior U.S. senator. Democrat Doug Jones, who defeated Moore, was the target of almost $2.8 million in spending from such groups, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. In all, records show the Super PACs spent almost $20 million working for and against particular candidates. That’s in addition to the millions candidates raised and spent on their own campaigns. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Jones Doubles Moore’s Campaign Warchest With Help of Democratic Fundraising Group

Democrat Doug Jones raised about twice as much money for his winning U.S. Senate campaign as his Republican opponent collected, with the vast majority of the money flowing through an organization that helps Democratic candidates raise funds. Jones’ final report to the Federal Election Commission showed contributions totaling $11.71 million during 2017. Roy Moore, the Republican candidate and former Alabama chief justice, raised $5,152,464. The vast majority of the money collected by Jones – $9.57 million – was funneled into his campaign through ActBlue. The organization, which allows contributors to make donations to specific candidates via its website, helped all of the Democrats who ran for the Senate in 2016 raise money and has funneled $1.95 billion to Democratic and progressive candidates since 2004. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Family and Friends Nationwide Want to Know: What Do Alabamians Think About the Jones-Moore Campaign

As the voting numbers started to come in Tuesday night, so did calls, texts, and social media posts to Alabama residents from their out-of-state friends, family and acquaintances. The fervor of the race between Doug Jones and Roy Moore in the special Senate election had captured the attention of the entire country. Alabamians found themselves cast in the role of political analysts even before election night. Early in the race, buzz seemed to be about the race’s effect on the balance of power in the U.S. Senate and candidates’ controversial statements. The national conversation exploded after the Washington Post published a story alleging sexual misconduct on the part of Republican candidate Roy Moore. National and international news outlets flocked to Alabama to cover the candidates. Just as it happens when a big football game is played or a tornado touches down, everyday people became the micro-level information headquarters for their friends and family. Read more. Beware the Stampede! News Media From Across the Globe Flocked to Alabama for Special Senate Election.

by Cheryl Slocum

Moore Issues Video Statement Saying He Will Continue to Fight for the U.S. Senate Seat

Roy Moore said again Thursday that he would not concede the U.S. Senate election, issuing a video statement in which he said the race was too close, some ballots were still out, and he believed “the heart and soul of our country is at stake” in the election. Vote tallies from Tuesday showed Doug Jones beating Moore by about 20,000 votes, but the vote will not be certified until Dec. 26 to Jan. 3. You can watch the 4:46 video in full here.

by Virginia Martin

Beware the Stampede! News Media From Across the Globe Flocked to Alabama for Special Senate Election

The man who had hours before pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Alabama political history was quipping Wednesday about business development, of sorts. “Folks, once again, let me say this. I have appreciated all that you have done for the Alabama economy, coming down here.” Democrat Doug Jones, newly elected to the U.S. Senate, was talking to the throngs of reporters, photographers and camera crews — collectively known as “the media” — who descended on Alabama from across the nation and around the world, representing an unprecedented interest in Alabama’s often-colorful politics. Read more.

by Robert Carter and Sam Prickett

Doug Jones’ Search for Common Ground: Jones Talks About His Intentions, His Opponent and His Route to the U.S. Senate

In his first press conference since being elected senator, Doug Jones reiterated his desire to find “common ground” on both sides of the political aisle and dismissed his opponent’s refusal to concede the election. Jones defeated the twice-deposed Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore by roughly 20,000 votes Tuesday night, a surprise Democratic win in a state that for decades has been considered a Republican stronghold. However, Moore has not conceded the race, telling supporters that “when the vote is this close … it’s not over.” For the most part, Jones’ responses to reporters’ questions were conciliatory, stressing the need to find “common ground” — a phrase he repeated 12 times during the press conference — in the midst of a divisive political climate. “I know I’m just sounding like a broken record (when I) talk about that,” Jones said, “but I just think it is so important that we try to sit down at a table and talk about issues and talk about the things that matter in the big picture … . I want to try to find those issues more and more that we can find common ground on, and let’s just agree to disagree on those issues that are so divisive that it’s hard to even talk to people about them.” Read more. Is There Life After Doug Jones for Alabama Democrats? God and Politics, 2017 Edition: Roy Moore Brings Religion to the Forefront Like Few Campaigns Before It

by Sam Prickett

What They’re Saying

Once a Long Shot, Democrat Doug Jones Wins Alabama Senate Race (New York Times) Trump: ‘I Said Roy Moore Will Not Be Able to Win’ in Alabama (New York Times) Doug Jones’s Victory Scrambles the Republican Congressional Agenda (Washington Post) Meet Doug Jones, the Law-and-Order Democrat Who Won Alabama's Senate Seat (Los Angels Times, with video) Analysis: In Stunning 2017 Defeats, Republicans See Vision of Difficulties in 2018 (Los Angeles Times) Democrat Jones Wins Stunning Red-State Alabama Senate Upset (Associated Press)

by Virginia Martin
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