Doug Jones, who won Alabama’s special election for a U.S. Senate seat Tuesday, said he has received calls from other senators and party leaders such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and President Trump — but still has not heard from his GOP challenger, Roy Moore.
“I have received calls from so many well-wishers, friends and family and also future colleagues in Washington on both sides of the aisle. I have received calls from Democratic senators, I’ve received calls from my long-time friend [Alabama] Sen. [Richard] Shelby, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, and a call from the president of the United States, President Trump,” Jones told reporters Wednesday afternoon.
“All very gracious, congratulating us on the way we have run this race, the way we portrayed ourself in the campaign, and all expressing a desire to look forward together to try to work for the betterment of the state of Alabama and this country, to do as we have said from the very beginning, to try to find common ground so that we can move forward,” he added.
Jones: “I have received calls from Democratic senators. I’ve received calls from my longtime friend Senator Shelby; [Sen. Maj.] Leader McConnell, [Sen. Minority] Leader Schumer and calls from the president of the United States, Pres. Trump. All very gracious.” pic.twitter.com/yYtKYLIuE0
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 13, 2017
Jones and Moore, who was facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, were campaigning to fill the Alabama Senate seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions for the remainder of Sessions’ term until Jan. 2021. Luther Strange, who ran against Moore in the Republican primary, has filled the seat in the interim.
Although Jones said Moore has not reached out, he said Strange called him Tuesday night.
“One of the first calls I received last night was from an old friend, Senator Luther Strange,” Jones said. “He left a message. I returned that call as I knew he would be very gracious as well, congratulating me, telling me how proud he was of the campaign that we ran, and working together to try to start a transition, for us to move into that office to build our staff and to start working and to continue to work for the people of the state of Alabama.”
Moore declined to concede the Senate race Tuesday night after Jones had been declared the victor and is calling for a recount.
The race between Moore and Jones was close – Jones received 671,151 votes, and Moore received 650,436. A total of 22,819 ballots were cast for write-in candidates.
According to John Merrill, Alabama secretary of state, any candidate may request a recount, although there is an automatic recount provision if the margin of votes received by each of the candidates is 0.5 percent or less.
Jones received approximately 49.9 percent of the vote, whereas Moore received approximately 48.4 percent, according to the New York Times tracker.
