Democrat Doug Jones celebrates his Election Night victory on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, during Alabama's special U.S. Senate contest. It could be the last time a special Senate election can occur in Alabama if legislation to do away with them becomes law.
U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne from Alabama's 1st Congressional District and his wife Rebecca Byrne talk to supporters after he was declared the winner of his congressional seat at his election party at Moe's Original BBQ in Mobile, Ala., on March 1, 2016. From left are his wife Rebecca Byrne, daughter Laura Byrne, his son Patrick Byrne holding grandson MacGuire Byrne, and daughter-in-law Carolyn Byrne.
Gov. Kay Ivey has appointed Cathy Dickens, Dr. Sandra Sims-deGraffenried and Missy Ming Smith to the Athens State University Board of Trustees. Dickens, representative of the Fifth Congressional District, has been reappointed to the board for a seven-year term.
Former White House strategist Stephen Bannon, shown in Indianapolis in December, is backing former judge Roy Moore in Alabama's Republican Senate runoff race against current Sen. Luther Strange. The winner will face Democrat Doug Jones during the Dec. 12 general election.
Republican leaders of two branches of state government have been removed from office, while the head of the third branch, Gov. Robert Bentley, is facing an impeachment investigation sparked by a scandal that shows no signs of fading. The three distinct controversies involving high-profile Republicans have dominated state political headlines for many months, but it's not clear they have helped the rival party at all.