MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Senate race in Alabama (all times local):
11:10 p.m.
Democrat Doug Jones is asking a judge to toss Roy Moore’s last-minute lawsuit seeking to overturn Jones’ historic win in the Alabama race for U.S. Senate.
Jones filed a motion Thursday in Montgomery Circuit court asking a judge to dismiss Moore’s complaint. Attorney Joe Espy wrote that Moore has no legal ground for asking the court to block Jones’ win.
Moore filed a lawsuit Wednesday raising broad claims of election fraud. He asked a judge to stop the state from declaring Jones the winner. The election results will be certified at 1 p.m. CST. Thursday unless blocked by a judge.
Jones defeated Moore by about 20,000 votes to become the first Alabama Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate in 25 years.
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9 a.m.
A spokesman for Doug Jones is calling Roy Moore’s last-minute lawsuit to stop the certification of Jones’ victory in this month’s U.S. Senate race a “desperate attempt.”
Jones spokesman Sam Coleman said Thursday that Moore’s attempt to “subvert the will of the people will not succeed.”
Echoing a previous refrain from Jones, Coleman added, “The election is over. It’s time to move on.”
Moore filed a lawsuit in Montgomery Circuit Court late Wednesday raising broad claims of election fraud. He asked a judge to block the state from certifying Jones as the winner. Secretary of State John Merrill said he has found no evidence of voter fraud, and he said the state canvassing board would certify Jones’ victory as planned on Thursday afternoon.
Jones is scheduled to be sworn in next week.
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12:30 a.m.
Roy Moore is going to court to try to stop Alabama from certifying Democrat Doug Jones as the winner of the U.S. Senate race.
Moore filed a lawsuit Wednesday evening in Montgomery Circuit Court. The filing occurred about 14 hours ahead of Thursday’s meeting of a state canvassing board to officially declare Jones the winner of the Dec. 12 special election.
Jones defeated Moore by about 20,000 votes.
Moore’s attorney wrote in the lawsuit that he believed there were irregularities and said there should be a fraud investigation and eventually a new election.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill told The Associated Press Wednesday evening that Jones will be certified as the winner Thursday. He said so far his office has found no evidence of fraud.
