Doug Jones
Doug Jones speaks to reporters after voting at Brookwood Baptist Church in Mountain Brook, Alabama, Dec. 12, 2017. Getty Images/ Justin Sullivan

Doug Jones, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor who is known for prosecuting two Ku Klux Klan perpetrators of the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing which killed African-American girls, won Alabama seat for the Senate, defeating his controversial rival Roy Moore on Tuesday.

Jones is the first Democrat to win a Senate seat for Alabama in 25 years. He won the seat by a margin of 49.9 to 48.4 in a major blow to President Donald Trump, who endorsed the Republican candidate and even held a rally on his behalf in Pensacola, Florida.

According to FinApp, a finance platform, Jones has a net worth of $12 million. The website also stated the Alabama senator takes home $1million annually and his net worth witnessed a hike of 16 percent over the past few years. Jones also owns a house worth $810,000.

Addressing people after his surprising victory, Jones said: “Folks, I gotta tell you, I think that I have been waiting all my life and now I just don’t know what the hell to say. I have always believed that the people of Alabama had more in common than what would divide us.”

“This entire race has been about dignity and respect. This campaign has been about the rule of law. This campaign has been about common courtesy and decency and making sure everyone in this state, regardless of what zip code you live in, is going to get a fair shake,” he further said.

Shortly after the results were announced, the president sent out a tweet congratulating Jones on his victory.

“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!” Trump tweeted.

Jones’ victory also garnered positive comments from people across various sectors.

John Parker, a bartender by profession, said of Jones: “I think it’s astounding and unprecedented in Alabama politics and response to what we’re seeing nationally. This is a direct response, President Trump. Roy Moore is unfit for any job, let alone a public servant. Alabama tonight voted for America. There is hope and joy. Tomorrow’s another day in Alabama.”

“We finally have a person who will represent all of Alabama. I can’t believe it’s taken this long for people to realize that Roy Moore is not what he says he is,” Caitlin Barringer, 29, said, the Guardian reported.

Born in Fairfield, Alabama, in 1945 to Gordon and Gloria Jones, Doug Jones served as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama from 1997 to 2001. His father worked at U.S. Steel and his mother was a homemaker. Jones graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 1976 and earned his Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, in 1979. He began his career by working as staff counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee for Sen. Howell Heflin from Alabama.