Trump's tax-cut agenda under threat as Republicans lose Alabama

Democrat Doug Jones has scored an upset win over Republican Roy Moore for the Alabama seat in the US Senate vacated by Republican Jeff Sessions when he was named attorney-general.

A knife-edge result saw Mr Jones with 49.6% of the vote to Mr Moore's 48.8%, with 98% of ballots counted.

Mr Moore was dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct against girls as young as 14, which led Alabama's senior Republican senator, Richard Shelby, to say earlier this week, "I couldn't vote for Roy Moore. The state of Alabama deserves better."  Other Republican leaders also distanced themselves from Mr Moore; the Republican National Committee choked off funding; and Fox News ran an editorial calling on conservatives to "accept a short-term electoral setback to sustain our long-term integrity and viability."

However, the fact Alabama is one of the safest states for the Republicans, plus the active support of President Donald Trump, kept Mr Moore in the race, making it hard to pick until results came in this afternoon NZT.

Beyond the awkwardness of backing a loser, Mr Trump also faces practical complications.

The Republican majority in the Senate has now shrunk to 51-49. With at least one Republican senator shaping up to not vote for the tax-cut legislation (deficit hawk Bob Corker), the pressure will be on to get a final version of the bill ready for the President to sign before the end of the month; that is, before Mr Jones formally takes office.

The Senate and Congress have passed differing versions of the tax-cut legislation. The two bills must be combined into one before it can be taken to the White House. [UPDATE: one US report says Republicans reached an agreement in principle on the legislation just hours after the Alabama result. Democrats, on the other hand are pushing for a delay in the final vote until after Mr Jones takes his Senate seat.] 

The people of Alabama will do the right thing. Doug Jones is Pro-Abortion, weak on Crime, Military and Illegal Immigration, Bad for Gun Owners and Veterans and against the WALL. Jones is a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet. Roy Moore will always vote with us. VOTE ROY MOORE!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2017