Tonight, doug jones becomes the first democrat to be elected to the senate from alabama in 24 in 25 years. The seat vacated when Jeff Sessions left this year. Here is doug joness victory speech from birmingham, alabama. [applause] doug thank you. Thank you, everyone, thank you. Thank you. Oh my. You, i think that i have been waiting all my life and now i dont know just what the hell to say. [applause] doug if you will indulge me just a moment. Lets just get sworn in first. Folks, i am overwhelmed. Let me first make a couple of brief comments. I have said throughout this campaign that i thought that december 12 was going to be a historic day. [applause] doug but i have to tell you, and you know where i am headed, december 12 has always been a dis a historic day in the jones family. This is, as you know, my and louises 25th wedding anniversary. [applause] this i could not have done without her. The love, support, encouragement. Earlier in the evening when she kicked me in the rear when i was down. This has been a wonderful night. I have to thank my family. My wonderful sons, my daughter, my beautiful granddaughter, my soninlaw, all of these friends back here. U. S. Attorney buddies. My mom. [applause] doug my dad, who is here with us in spirit. My sister and her husband. Thank you. [applause] overwhelmed. Uly i am truly, truly overwhelmed. But you know, and you have all heard me say this at one point or another in this campaign, i have always believed that the people of alabama have more in common then divides us. [applause] doug we have shown not just around alabama, but we have shown the country the way that we can be unified. [applause] doug we have spent so many hours, i have gotten so many people that i have to think, but i will tell you quickly. There are three people that i want to acknowledge tonight, because if it werent for them we would not be here. They are the people that set me down in early may and said, you can do this, and they showed me the way. I want to make sure everybody in this room knows we had an incredible staff. It started with a small group of folks. [applause] people i the three need to it knowledge before i go any further, the greatest political consultant in the world, joe trippi. I know you are tired of seeing my ads, but they were all joe, he showed me the way. Jeff turner showed me the numbers. Of the campaign, giles perkins. Had his own issues to deal with over the summer, but this campaign, and what he has done, whenever the history is written about alabama politics, remember those names, giles joe trippi, and doug turner. We have come so far. And the people of alabama have spoken. [applause] that this have Said Campaign have never been about me, it has not been about roy moore, it has been about every one of you and your sons and daughters area it is all of the sons and daughters. It is about the volunteers who knocked on 300,000 doors. It is the volunteers who made 1. 2 million phone calls around the state. [applause] doug it is the volunteers that make sure we knew. It was every community. I keep hearing about the different communities in this state. The africanamerican community, thank you. [applause] doug my friends in the latino community, thank you. [applause] doug to all of my jewish friends, happy hanukkah. [applause] doug we have built this everywhere we have gone. We have had the same energy and excitement. At the end of the day, this entire race has been about dignity and respect. [applause] doug this campaign has been about the rule of law. [applause] doug this campaign has been about common courtesy and decency and making sure everyone in this state, regardless of which zip code you live in, is going to get a fair shake in life. [applause] doug let me just say this. To all of my future colleagues. N washington i had such wonderful help. But i want to make sure, in all seriousness, there are important issues facing this country. Health care, jobs, economy. As everyone knows, we have tried to make this campaign was about finding Common Ground and reaching across and actually getting things done for the people. [applause] challenge. Have a to my future colleagues in washington. Do not wait on me. Take this election from the great state of alabama. [applause] election withs the people of alabama saying we want to get something done, we want you to get something done. And gois opportunity ahead and find that program before i even get up there. [applause] lets do it for the million kids. I am not going to talk too much longer, it has been a long night and a long campaign. Let me just say, i know i have forgotten so much. So many thank yous. This vote, i have said it before, alabama has been at a crossroads. We have been a crossroads in the past. Unfortunately, we have usually taken the wrong fork. Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, you took the right road. [applause] usa. Usa. Usa. Doug on a personal level, i mean this. Thank each of you for helping me fulfill a lifelong dream of serving in the u. S. Senate that started out with my mentor. Thank you for that. [applause] approach this crossroads, we have work to do. We have work to do in the state to build bridges within the state. To reach across with those that did not vote for us and try to find Common Ground. I am pledging to do that tonight. Tonight is the night for rejoicing. King liked to quote, the moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice. [applause] doug tonight, ladies and gentlemen, tonight, in this time, in this place, you helped bend the moral arc a little closer to justice. More, butas it bent you sent it right through the heart of the great state of alabama. Thank you all. I love you. I love you and god bless you. And god bless the great state of alabama and the United States of america. Thank you. Thank you. [applause]