Democrat Doug Jones wins Senate seat in stunning Ala. upset; Roy Moore refuses to concede

It was the first Democratic Senate victory in a quarter-century in Alabama, one of the reddest of red states, and proved anew that party loyalty is anything but sure in the age of Trump. The Republican loss was a major embarrassment for the president and a fresh wound for the nation's already divided GOP.

Trump, Hillary Clinton and others congratulate Doug Jones on Alabama victory

President Donald Trump along with other politicians from both sides of the aisle reacted late Tuesday after Democratic Alabama Senate candidate Doug Jones defeated Republican Roy Moore in a special election . Trump congratulated Jones in a tweet on his "hard fought victory" and said Republicans will "have another shot at the seat in a very short period of time."

12/13/2017

Brian Beutler reminds us of how the Democrats and Republicans behaved when Scott Brown won his Senate seat in the midst of a historic debate about health care just 8 years ago: Republican leaders are on the brink of losing more than just the Alabama Senate seat. They are, among other things, also poised to break the promises they made to Sen. Susan Collins to secure her vote for the corporate tax cut bill.

Charles Barkley warns Democrats: Don’t take black vote for granted

While Alabama native and basketball legend Charles Barkley was elated at Republican Roy Moore 's defeat in the state's special election - calling it "a great night for Alabama" - he also warned Democrats. When CNN host Jake Tapper asked him whether he had a message for President Trump , who backed Mr. Moore despite charges of child sex abuse, Mr. Barkley did not take the bait, even though he had called Mr. Moore "an embarrassment" earlier in the interview.

CNNa s Acosta complains of White House threat

CNN's Jim Acosta says he was warned by the White House press secretary Sarah Sanders not to ask a question during President Donald Trump's bill signing ceremony on Tuesday, further evidence of sour relations between the network and administration. Acosta said Sanders told him that if he asked Trump a question, "she could not promise that I would be allowed into a pool spray again."

Things to know about Alabama’s new US senator, Doug Jones

Doug Jones, a Democrat who once prosecuted two Ku Klux Klansmen in a deadly church bombing and has now broken the Republican lock grip on Alabama, is the state's new US senator. Jones, 63, grew up in the working-class city of Fairfield, just west of Birmingham, an area where steel mills once belched smoke that left a rust-colored haze hanging over the metro area.

Doug Jones beats Roy Moore in tight Alabama Senate race

Doug Jones pulled off a major upset victory in Alabama's special election Tuesday against Republican Roy Moore , becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the red state in more than 20 years and delivering a jolt of energy to his party ahead of the 2018 midterms. After a neck-and-neck race, The Associated Press called it for Jones about two hours after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Forged documents falsely accuse Chuck Schumer of sex harassment

New York Democrat Chuck Schumer was the latest politician to denounce fake news Tuesday - in his case, a set of forged documents that falsely claimed to be an allegation of sexual harassment from a former staffer. The former staffer named on the report denied any knowledge of it and said she never experienced sexual harassment from the senator.

Trump slams harassment accusers, attacks senator in crude tweet

President Donald Trump on Tuesday denounced the "fabricated stories" of women who have accused him of sexual harassment, and attacked a Democratic female US senator in a crude tweet after she demanded his resignation over the claims. As the #MeToo movement of harassment victims speaking out has gathered pace in the worlds of politics and entertainment, Trump has found himself once again in the crosshairs.

Santorum: Moore will face ethics investigation whether Trump ‘supports it or not’

Former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum said Tuesday he believes the Senate will launch an ethics investigation into Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore if he wins the election even if Donald John Trump House Democrat slams Donald Trump Jr. for 'serious case of amnesia' after testimony Skier Lindsey Vonn: I don't want to represent Trump at Olympics Poll: 4 in 10 Republicans think senior Trump advisers had improper dealings with Russia MORE "I have no doubt if Roy Moore wins tonight that there will be an ethics investigation," Santorum said during CNN's election night coverage. "Doesn't matter whether the president supports it or not, the president isn't a member of the Senate," Santorum said.

Will Trump’s lows ever hit rock bottom?: Our view

Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office "begging" for campaign contributions not so long ago , is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED! With his latest tweet, clearly implying that a United States senator would trade sexual favors for campaign cash, President Trump has shown he is not fit for office.

5 things to watch in Alabamaa s high stakes Senate race

As Alabama votes to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the choice between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones has taken on outsized significance. Moore has faced allegations of sexual misconduct with teenagers, dividing the GOP and giving Democrats hope of picking up a seat in a reliably red state.

5 things to watch in Alabama’s high stakes Senate race

As Alabama votes to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the choice between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones has taken on outsized significance. Moore has faced allegations of sexual misconduct with teenagers, dividing the GOP and giving Democrats hope of picking up a seat in a reliably red state.

Tax package would lower top tax rate for wealthy Americans

Congressional Republicans on Tuesday rushed toward a deal on a massive tax package that would reduce the top tax rate for wealthy Americans to 37 percent and slash the corporate rate to a level slightly higher than what businesses and conservatives wanted. In a flurry of last-minute changes that could profoundly affect the pocketbooks of millions of Americans, House and Senate negotiators agreed to expand a deduction for state and local taxes to allow individuals to deduct income taxes as well as property taxes.