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| 'When I heard the news I burst into tears': readers react to Doug Jones's Alabama win | 'When I heard the news I burst into tears': readers react to Doug Jones's Alabama win |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| We asked you to tell us what you think about Jones’s shock win over controversial Republican Roy Moore in Alabama. Here’s what some of you said | |
| Guardian readers and | |
| Rachel Obordo | |
| Wed 13 Dec 2017 16.49 GMT | |
| Last modified on Wed 13 Dec 2017 16.50 GMT | |
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| Doug Jones became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Alabama in 25 years on Tuesday night when he beat the controversial Republican former judge Roy Moore. | Doug Jones became the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Alabama in 25 years on Tuesday night when he beat the controversial Republican former judge Roy Moore. |
| In a state with a significant racial divide, according to an exit poll, Jones won 95% of the African American vote but only 27% of the white vote. However, widespread African American turnout overcame Moore’s advantage in rural, predominantly white parts of Alabama. | In a state with a significant racial divide, according to an exit poll, Jones won 95% of the African American vote but only 27% of the white vote. However, widespread African American turnout overcame Moore’s advantage in rural, predominantly white parts of Alabama. |
| Moore faced several accusations of sexual misconduct, including one against a 14-year-old girl. He denies the accusations, and was backed by Donald Trump, although many other senior Republicans disavowed him. | Moore faced several accusations of sexual misconduct, including one against a 14-year-old girl. He denies the accusations, and was backed by Donald Trump, although many other senior Republicans disavowed him. |
| Here’s what some Guardian readers said in reaction to Jones’s win. | Here’s what some Guardian readers said in reaction to Jones’s win. |
| ‘It was the lesser of two evils for many Alabamians’: Jimmy Hollis i Dickson, 62, Alabama | ‘It was the lesser of two evils for many Alabamians’: Jimmy Hollis i Dickson, 62, Alabama |
| In the eyes of many Alabamians there were two “immoral” candidates running against each other. One has faced sexual allegations and the other supports abortion and LGBT rights. Both used the Bible to criticise the other and both claimed to have decency and God on their side. | In the eyes of many Alabamians there were two “immoral” candidates running against each other. One has faced sexual allegations and the other supports abortion and LGBT rights. Both used the Bible to criticise the other and both claimed to have decency and God on their side. |
| For many Alabamians, this election would have been a case of the lesser of two evils. The bottom line is if African American Alabamians hadn’t turned out to vote in such numbers this election would have gone the other way. I can only hope that African American Alabamians realise their power in future elections. | For many Alabamians, this election would have been a case of the lesser of two evils. The bottom line is if African American Alabamians hadn’t turned out to vote in such numbers this election would have gone the other way. I can only hope that African American Alabamians realise their power in future elections. |
| ‘I hope this is the first in a wave of wins for Democrats’: Fran Putnam, 70, Vermont | ‘I hope this is the first in a wave of wins for Democrats’: Fran Putnam, 70, Vermont |
| I am ecstatic to see this decent, courageous man win in a deeply red state. I am glad to see Steve Bannon and Donald Trump’s racist, misogynistic politics given their first defeat. Now it’s on to 2018. I hope this is the first in a wave of wins for Democrats! | I am ecstatic to see this decent, courageous man win in a deeply red state. I am glad to see Steve Bannon and Donald Trump’s racist, misogynistic politics given their first defeat. Now it’s on to 2018. I hope this is the first in a wave of wins for Democrats! |
| ‘I’m a Republican and I’m glad Moore lost’: Jennifer Tiemann, 36, Indiana | ‘I’m a Republican and I’m glad Moore lost’: Jennifer Tiemann, 36, Indiana |
| I’m a Republican and I’m glad Moore lost. If the Republicans are going to be having candidates with questionable morals, then they will hand the country over to the Democrats. With all the sexual abuse allegations finally coming to light in our country, more and more people are becoming aware that there is a serious problem and people are less likely to vote for someone accused of it. Until Republicans in the government start actually standing up for their morals and values, I think we’re going to see more Republican states voting for Democrats. | I’m a Republican and I’m glad Moore lost. If the Republicans are going to be having candidates with questionable morals, then they will hand the country over to the Democrats. With all the sexual abuse allegations finally coming to light in our country, more and more people are becoming aware that there is a serious problem and people are less likely to vote for someone accused of it. Until Republicans in the government start actually standing up for their morals and values, I think we’re going to see more Republican states voting for Democrats. |
| ‘I’m so grateful to African Americans, especially women’: Pat, Kentucky | ‘I’m so grateful to African Americans, especially women’: Pat, Kentucky |
| I am so grateful to African Americans, especially women, for their power and commitment to justice. They won this election but the slim margin scares me. There are so many people in Alabama who voted for Roy Moore and all he represents. That fact dampens my joy in the Jones victory. Still, he won. I’m relieved and happy that the majority voted for dignity, truth, and respect. May these qualities bloom through this great country and soften the hearts of those who hate. Love is always the answer. | I am so grateful to African Americans, especially women, for their power and commitment to justice. They won this election but the slim margin scares me. There are so many people in Alabama who voted for Roy Moore and all he represents. That fact dampens my joy in the Jones victory. Still, he won. I’m relieved and happy that the majority voted for dignity, truth, and respect. May these qualities bloom through this great country and soften the hearts of those who hate. Love is always the answer. |
| ‘It shows your efforts are not fruitless’: Zack, Tennessee | ‘It shows your efforts are not fruitless’: Zack, Tennessee |
| I try to change my world for the better with my talents and I even write to my representatives about the issues I care about. One of the obstacles I encounter all the time is totally apathetic people who tell me to give up, and that everything I do is for nothing because the system is rigged. A lot of Doug Jones supporters probably got bombarded with the same attitude from others, especially with Republican efforts to suppress their votes. Against all odds, Alabama voters were able to put a Democrat in the Senate, which shows that your efforts are not fruitless, and that it is possible to make changes to your community, and to the world. | I try to change my world for the better with my talents and I even write to my representatives about the issues I care about. One of the obstacles I encounter all the time is totally apathetic people who tell me to give up, and that everything I do is for nothing because the system is rigged. A lot of Doug Jones supporters probably got bombarded with the same attitude from others, especially with Republican efforts to suppress their votes. Against all odds, Alabama voters were able to put a Democrat in the Senate, which shows that your efforts are not fruitless, and that it is possible to make changes to your community, and to the world. |
| ‘I feel like I’ve crawled out from the Upside Down’: Lisa Oakley, 53, North Carolina | ‘I feel like I’ve crawled out from the Upside Down’: Lisa Oakley, 53, North Carolina |
| I feel like that scene in Stranger Things and I’m crawling from the Upside Down through the slime and rot back into the real world. Life has hope again. I hope those kids can get Steve Bannon back to the Upside Down. | I feel like that scene in Stranger Things and I’m crawling from the Upside Down through the slime and rot back into the real world. Life has hope again. I hope those kids can get Steve Bannon back to the Upside Down. |
| ‘I can’t describe my sense of relief’: Wiliam A McLaughlin, 69, Massachusetts | ‘I can’t describe my sense of relief’: Wiliam A McLaughlin, 69, Massachusetts |
| These have been very, very dark days indeed. I was a young adult in the Vietnam era, yet I have never before felt the revulsion and stomach-turning that I feel for Trump. When Tricky Dicky [Nixon] begins to look good, it’s bad. And the man was a paranoid. I can’t describe my sense of relief at Jones’s win. | These have been very, very dark days indeed. I was a young adult in the Vietnam era, yet I have never before felt the revulsion and stomach-turning that I feel for Trump. When Tricky Dicky [Nixon] begins to look good, it’s bad. And the man was a paranoid. I can’t describe my sense of relief at Jones’s win. |
| ‘It shows people can make their voices heard’: Jon, North Carolina | ‘It shows people can make their voices heard’: Jon, North Carolina |
| I was relieved to hear this as the winning margin wasn’t wide and Alabama is staunchly Republican. I take it as an indication that America’s new generation of the “silent majority” (from a voting perspective only, you definitely hear complaining), shows people are actually willing to deal with the inconvenience of voting and make their voices heard at the ballot box. | I was relieved to hear this as the winning margin wasn’t wide and Alabama is staunchly Republican. I take it as an indication that America’s new generation of the “silent majority” (from a voting perspective only, you definitely hear complaining), shows people are actually willing to deal with the inconvenience of voting and make their voices heard at the ballot box. |
| ‘The sky is marginally brighter today than yesterday’: Penelope, Virginia | ‘The sky is marginally brighter today than yesterday’: Penelope, Virginia |
| I’m actually proud of the people of Alabama. They showed that extreme gerrymandering can be beaten. As a woman, I have more hope. Not a lot, but more. In all my years I have suffered harassment, ageism, and been threatened in the workplace for being a Democrat. It may still not be possible to turn this country around, but the sky is marginally brighter today than yesterday. | I’m actually proud of the people of Alabama. They showed that extreme gerrymandering can be beaten. As a woman, I have more hope. Not a lot, but more. In all my years I have suffered harassment, ageism, and been threatened in the workplace for being a Democrat. It may still not be possible to turn this country around, but the sky is marginally brighter today than yesterday. |
| ‘It proves we are still fighting’: Barbara Franco, 48, Arizona | ‘It proves we are still fighting’: Barbara Franco, 48, Arizona |
| When I heard the news I burst into tears. Doug Jones’s win, but more importantly Roy Moore’s loss proves we are still fighting and we are going to keep fighting until Trump and his like have been excised and the White House fumigated. I am so thankful to the people of Alabama who turned out to give our country the glimmer of hope we so desperately needed. | When I heard the news I burst into tears. Doug Jones’s win, but more importantly Roy Moore’s loss proves we are still fighting and we are going to keep fighting until Trump and his like have been excised and the White House fumigated. I am so thankful to the people of Alabama who turned out to give our country the glimmer of hope we so desperately needed. |
| ‘I hope this means a comeback for the Democrats’: Peter, Colorado | ‘I hope this means a comeback for the Democrats’: Peter, Colorado |
| My hope is that Jones’s win is the start of a massive comeback for the Democrats. The current Republican-dominated Congress and the president are absolutely destroying the United States both internally and on the global stage. There is absolutely no concern for the average working American as demonstrated by the proposed tax bill, no concern for the country’s natural resources except to profit by destroying them, and no concern for global warming, which threatens the world as we know it. | My hope is that Jones’s win is the start of a massive comeback for the Democrats. The current Republican-dominated Congress and the president are absolutely destroying the United States both internally and on the global stage. There is absolutely no concern for the average working American as demonstrated by the proposed tax bill, no concern for the country’s natural resources except to profit by destroying them, and no concern for global warming, which threatens the world as we know it. |
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