DOWN TO THE WIRE: Doug Jones (left) and Roy Moore. AL.com

The race has been called: Doug Jones is set to eke out a shocking win over Roy Moore and take the Senate seat in Alabama. Shocking because it’s Alabama. Moore was a uniquely loathsome character.

“Decency wins,” commented Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake.

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Sounds like high black turnout allowed Jones to pull off the upset.

According to exit polls, women with children under 18 at home backed Jones by 66-32.

Happy to hear Jones call for CHIP to be fully funded in his victory speech.

Procedural note on the policy stakes: The GOP will now race to pass its tax bill before Jones can be seated. They have just one vote to spare, and Sen. Susan Collins is considered wobbly.

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Moore is apparently refusing to concede; a campaign representative says that “God is in control.”

No word from Steve Bannon, who is at the watch party with Moore. “Suck it Bannon,” commented The View’s Meghan McCain.

President Donald Trump
, who loudly supported the accused child molester Moore, was, by Trump standards, circumspect, at least for now: “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!” This doesn’t sound like a statement written by Trump, so we’ll see.

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Local angle from Times contributor Jay Barth:

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