Twitter/@GDouglasJones Alabama's presumptive new Senator, Doug Jones (Twitter/@GDouglasJones)
In what was arguably one of the most hotly contested campaign races in recent Senatorial history, Alabama Democrat Doug Jones is projected to have beaten Republican Roy Moore for the Senate seat vacated by former Senator Jeff Sessions when he become Trump’s attorney general in February. Unsurprisingly, Jones supporters on Twitter rejoiced while Moore fans (metaphorically) gnashed their teeth. Here’s a roundup of some of the most popular and widely shared tweets of the night.
Jubilant Jones Supporters
Hillary Clinton’s widely shared tweet contained an inspiration message to American Democrats in the Age of Trump: “Tonight, Alabama voters elected a senator who’ll make them proud. And if Democrats can win in Alabama, we can — and must — compete everywhere. Onward!”
Tonight, Alabama voters elected a senator who’ll make them proud.
And if Democrats can win in Alabama, we can — and must — compete everywhere.
Onward!
Doug Jones. Thank you, Alabama. You’ve elected a man of incredible integrity, grit, and character. A fighter for working class and middle class Alabamians. He is going to make you proud in the Senate.
Senator Ted Lieu was quick to send congratulations to his soon-to-be colleague:
Congratulations @GDouglasJones for your amazing victory. You took on the KKK as a prosecutor and won. You took on a @POTUS who gets praised by the KKK and won. Your courage is an inspiration. I look forward to working with you. #DougJones
Many observers hoped the Democratic Party would learn a useful lesson from the experience, an remember to apply it in the future:
The story of Alabama is the tremendous return on investment in registering and turning out black voters. @TheDemocrats (who have been meh on black voter registration, take note)…
Common sense and decency have prevailed in Alabama. It was a vote not just against sexual abuse but also against racism and against those who would ride roughshod over our democratic institutions.
Alabama native Charles Barkley, who supported Jones even though he is usually a Republican, called the election “one of the greatest nights of my life.”
Charles Barkley calls #ALSen special election “one of the greatest nights of my life”: “I’m really just proud of the people of Alabama. They’ve been beat down for so long…They rose up tonight.”
Some Jones fans focused on his history of going after the Ku Klux Klan (in the 1970s, Jones successfully prosecuted the infamous Birmingham church bombers).
Good people–especially the voters in Alabama, I leave you with a quote of MLKjr that #DougJones used tonight, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Going to bed w a lighter heart tonight. Night, All
#DougJones prosecuted the KKK for murdering the #FourLittleGirls & he just quoted Brother Martin in his speech?! #HeCanTotesComeToTheCookout
Others focused on how Moore’s victory continues an apparent pattern of President Trump endorsing candidates who then go on to lose:
[Last four months]
TRUMP: I endorse Strange
*Strange loses*
TRUMP: I endorse Gillespie
*Gillespie loses*
TRUMP: I endorse Moore
*Moore loses*
“Strange” of course is a reference to Luther Strange, whom Moore defeated in Alabama’s Republican senatorial primary.
Hey @realDonaldTrump,
You endorsed Luther Strange. HE LOST.
You endorsed racist pedophile Roy Moore. HE LOST.
YOU’RE A FUCKING LOSER, DONNY
Trump backed Luther Strange, and he went down; then backed his bird-of-a-feather friend Roy Moore, and he just went down. Don’t fear these people. They are beatable.
Barack Obama is now 6-0 for domestic political endorsements and campaigning.
Donald Trump’s endorsed candidates all lost: Luther Strange, Ed Gillespie, and now Roy Moore.
#ALsen
However, Trump himself responded with what is for him a remarkable show of grace and good humor:
Congratulations to Doug Jones on a hard fought victory. The write-in votes played a very big factor, but a win is a win. The people of Alabama are great, and the Republicans will have another shot at this seat in a very short period of time. It never ends!
Naturally, some observers found Trump’s tweeted graciousness to be suspect:
Jones himself responded modestly:
“We have come so far and the people of Alabama have spoken.
It has never been about me, it’s never been about Roy Moore, it’s about you.”
Doug Jones, election night victory.
#RightSideOfHistory
Morose Moore Fans
Of course, not everybody on Twitter was happy with the results — or even willing to accept them.
Wikileaks’ Julian Assange responded to Trump’s gracious tweet by asking “I wonder how many dead people and illegal aliens voted for #DougJones?”
https://twitter.com/Real_Assange_/status/940795994106662914
Similarly conspiratorial tweets also got a moderate amount of shares.
🚨 65% OF THE VOTE IN ROY MOORE IS AHEAD BY 12 PTS..🤔
MINUTES LATER DOUG JONES TAKE THE LEAD BY 60 THOUSAND VOTES..🤔
NEVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN BEFORE🤔
SOMETHING SHADY GOING ON HERE..
Fox News host Todd Starnes did not dispute the results, but did view them with dismay:
Some Trump fans viewed Moore’ defeat as a sign they need to work harder to defeat the Democrats:
Before the votes were counted, some Moore fans offered pre-emptive reasons why a Moore win would discredit alleged victims of sexual assault:
This series of tweets comes from someone whose Twitter biography (somewhat ironically) says “Sore losers make winning more fun.”