MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Democrat Doug Jones has defeated Roy Moore in Alabama Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.
The victory is a major upset in a state where the GOP candidate would normally be an easy winner.
The big question on the minds of many voters heading to the polls was whether the allegations against Moore of sexually abusing teens and his history of controversial comments about women and minorities would be enough for a reliably red state to elect its first Democratic senator in a generation.
Jones’ win trims the Republican Senate majority to 51-49 and deals a blow to President Donald Trump, who has backed Moore amid the national conversation over sexual misconduct.
Exit polls were virtually split as to whether voters believed the allegations against Moore: 49% said they were probably or definitely true while 45% said they were probably or definitely false. A majority of the electorate, 57%, decided who to support before news of Moore’s alleged child molestation and sexual assault broke in November.
CNN contributed to this report.
