On Wednesday, Democrat Doug Jones was sworn in as Alabama’s senator, taking over Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ seat and making him the first Democrat to serve as senator in Alabama in 25 years. Vice President Pence swore him in while former Vice President Biden looked on.
Last month, Jones defeated former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore after Moore faced multiple accusations of child molestation and sexual abuse. The campaign was extremely controversial, as President Trump endorsed Moore despite the assault allegations.
Jones, on the other hand, is known for prosecuting several Ku Klux Klan members in 1963 for bombing a church and killing four African American girls.
WATCH: Doug Jones sworn in as Alabama senator https://t.co/MBtthbKuLd pic.twitter.com/qcdF44VkTi
— The Hill (@thehill) January 3, 2018
Notably, Jones hired Dana Gresham as his Chief of Staff, making him the only senate Democrat to have an African American Chief of Staff. According to Politico, having a diverse staff is one of Jones’ top priorities.
On Wednesday, Jones told NBC News, “I’m hoping to be a good senator. I don’t think that’s a partisan issue. I think any good senator is a bipartisan, and that’s what I’m looking to do.”
The arrival of Jones balances out the partisanship of the Senate, meaning that it will be more difficult for Republicans to pass legislation.