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| Alabama Senate election: Roy Moore faces verdict of voters | Alabama Senate election: Roy Moore faces verdict of voters |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The polls have closed in Alabama, where a firebrand Republican conservative is battling for a Senate seat against a Democrat hoping for a huge upset. | |
| President Donald Trump's populist brand will be tested after he backed Roy Moore, who denies allegations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls. | |
| Much of the Republican establishment has distanced itself from the 70-year-old former Alabama judge. | Much of the Republican establishment has distanced itself from the 70-year-old former Alabama judge. |
| The race between Mr Moore and Democrat Doug Jones is too close to call. | The race between Mr Moore and Democrat Doug Jones is too close to call. |
| The Republican candidate has said homosexual activity should be illegal and argued against removing segregationist language from the state constitution. | The Republican candidate has said homosexual activity should be illegal and argued against removing segregationist language from the state constitution. |
| But it is sexual abuse claims against him by a number of women, some when they were teenagers, that have made Washington conservatives baulk. | |
| One accuser alleges Mr Moore molested her when she was 14. | |
| The scandal has put an Alabama Senate seat within reach of Democrats for the first time in more than two decades. | The scandal has put an Alabama Senate seat within reach of Democrats for the first time in more than two decades. |
| Repercussions beyond Alabama | Repercussions beyond Alabama |
| Gary O'Donoghue, BBC News, Montgomery | Gary O'Donoghue, BBC News, Montgomery |
| Elections are rarely competitive in Alabama. It's the kind of place Republicans might as well weigh their votes rather than count them, such is the party's dominance here. | Elections are rarely competitive in Alabama. It's the kind of place Republicans might as well weigh their votes rather than count them, such is the party's dominance here. |
| This special election has upended all the normal expectations and still, at this late stage, remains too close to call. | This special election has upended all the normal expectations and still, at this late stage, remains too close to call. |
| Democrat Doug Jones can win if he manages to galvanise the black vote in cities such as Birmingham and Montgomery. | Democrat Doug Jones can win if he manages to galvanise the black vote in cities such as Birmingham and Montgomery. |
| Roy Moore, his Republican rival, could easily lose if those rural, white, church-going conservatives stay at home amid the allegations against him. | Roy Moore, his Republican rival, could easily lose if those rural, white, church-going conservatives stay at home amid the allegations against him. |
| Whatever the outcome, the repercussions will be felt beyond Alabama. | Whatever the outcome, the repercussions will be felt beyond Alabama. |
| If the Republicans lose, their Senate advantage contracts to just one vote. | If the Republicans lose, their Senate advantage contracts to just one vote. |
| If they win, their candidate is likely to face months of ethics inquiries, and an outside chance of being expelled from the Senate. | If they win, their candidate is likely to face months of ethics inquiries, and an outside chance of being expelled from the Senate. |
| For the Democrats, a win would bolster their bargaining power in Congress, and place control of the Senate within definite grasp at next year's mid-term elections. | For the Democrats, a win would bolster their bargaining power in Congress, and place control of the Senate within definite grasp at next year's mid-term elections. |
| How does Moore respond? | How does Moore respond? |
| On Tuesday, the world's press were waiting as he emerged on horseback from woodland to a ballot station. | On Tuesday, the world's press were waiting as he emerged on horseback from woodland to a ballot station. |
| He said people should "go out and vote their conscience". | He said people should "go out and vote their conscience". |
| Making his final pitch on election eve, Mr Moore reiterated his denials, again questioning why his accusers had kept quiet for 40 years while he had held various political offices. | Making his final pitch on election eve, Mr Moore reiterated his denials, again questioning why his accusers had kept quiet for 40 years while he had held various political offices. |
| Speaking alongside Mr Trump's former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, in front of a crowd that chanted the president's slogan "Drain the Swamp", Mr Moore drew heavily from the Bible. | Speaking alongside Mr Trump's former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, in front of a crowd that chanted the president's slogan "Drain the Swamp", Mr Moore drew heavily from the Bible. |
| "I want America great," he said, "but I want America good and she can't be good until we go back to God." | "I want America great," he said, "but I want America good and she can't be good until we go back to God." |
| Mr Moore was joined at Monday's rally by his wife Kayla, who said separate allegations last week that her husband was anti-Semitic were "fake news". | Mr Moore was joined at Monday's rally by his wife Kayla, who said separate allegations last week that her husband was anti-Semitic were "fake news". |
| "One of our attorneys is a Jew, we have very close friends who are Jewish," she said. | "One of our attorneys is a Jew, we have very close friends who are Jewish," she said. |
| How has Washington reacted? | How has Washington reacted? |
| In an automated phone message on Monday, Mr Trump's voice warned voters that his agenda would be "stopped cold" if Mr Moore lost. | In an automated phone message on Monday, Mr Trump's voice warned voters that his agenda would be "stopped cold" if Mr Moore lost. |
| But many other leading Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have kept arm's length from their party's candidate, or shunned him altogether. | But many other leading Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have kept arm's length from their party's candidate, or shunned him altogether. |
| Without mentioning Mr Moore by name, Republican former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, an African-American who grew up in Alabama, urged her home state to "reject bigotry, sexism, and intolerance". | Without mentioning Mr Moore by name, Republican former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, an African-American who grew up in Alabama, urged her home state to "reject bigotry, sexism, and intolerance". |
| Richard Shelby, Alabama's other senator, said on Sunday the state "deserves better" than Mr Moore. | Richard Shelby, Alabama's other senator, said on Sunday the state "deserves better" than Mr Moore. |
| A Democratic lawmaker has sent a letter to the Senate urging steps to protect teenagers working in the chamber's page programme from Mr Moore's "predatory conduct". | A Democratic lawmaker has sent a letter to the Senate urging steps to protect teenagers working in the chamber's page programme from Mr Moore's "predatory conduct". |
| Who is Moore's opponent? | Who is Moore's opponent? |
| Mr Jones, a 63-year-old former prosecutor, denies opponents' claims he will be a "puppet" of the Democratic congressional leadership. | Mr Jones, a 63-year-old former prosecutor, denies opponents' claims he will be a "puppet" of the Democratic congressional leadership. |
| He is lauded for helping convict two Ku Klux Klan members who bombed a black church in 1963 in Birmingham, killing four girls. | He is lauded for helping convict two Ku Klux Klan members who bombed a black church in 1963 in Birmingham, killing four girls. |
| But Mr Jones' support for abortion rights is toxic to many Christian conservatives in Alabama. | But Mr Jones' support for abortion rights is toxic to many Christian conservatives in Alabama. |
| After casting his ballot on Tuesday morning, he predicted: "I don't think Roy Moore is going to win this election." | After casting his ballot on Tuesday morning, he predicted: "I don't think Roy Moore is going to win this election." |
| Former President Barack Obama has recorded an automated phone message for Mr Jones. | Former President Barack Obama has recorded an automated phone message for Mr Jones. |
| "This one's serious," Mr Obama told voters in his call. "You can't sit it out." | "This one's serious," Mr Obama told voters in his call. "You can't sit it out." |