Republican U.S. Rep. Barry Moore clinched victory Tuesday in Alabama’s U.S. Senate race, handily defeating Democratic nominee Everett Wess.
In the general election contest, Moore secured 55% of the statewide vote. Wess earned 45%, according to unofficial election results from the secretary of state’s office Tuesday night.
The Enterprise Republican will fill the seat held by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who has declared victory in his gubernatorial race against former Democratic U.S. Sen. Doug Jones.
Speaking at his election night watch party in Auburn, Moore thanked God for his victory and said the country is facing a “spiritual battle” against transgender rights, Islam and Palestine.
“We understand the fight. I think many times in D.C. we think we’re fighting against the Democrats or we’re fighting against the left. Sometimes we think we’re fighting against our own party, but it’s a spiritual battle for the future of the nation,” Moore told supporters in the crowd.
Though Moore won by about 10 points, that margin is much smaller than U.S. Sen. Katie Britt’s 2022 Republican Senate victory, when she beat her Democratic opponent by nearly 36 points. In 2020, Tuberville won the Senate election by 20 points.
President Donald Trump endorsed Moore earlier this year, propelling him ahead of a crowded Republican primary and paving the way for him to win the GOP nomination against ex-Navy SEAL Jared Hudson by 12 points in the June runoff election.
With Moore’s election, both of Alabama’s senators will be Enterprise natives. Britt will become the state’s senior senator. The pair even both attended the same high school.
The general election campaign season for the Senate seat has been sleepy. In a deep-red state, advertising in the race largely halted after the GOP primary.
Moore instead relied on his conservative bona fides, his membership in the House Freedom Caucus, and his connection with Trump to punch his ticket.
Much of the race’s heated action occurred during the Republican primary and subsequent runoff as renewed accusations about Moore’s military service record gained traction.
Wess previously defeated Dakarai Larriett in the Democratic runoff election for the Senate seat.
Millions in crypto money helped prop up Moore’s campaign during the primary contest. More than $12 million in crypto industry money was poured into the race to support the congressman.
Vote percentages have been updated to reflect the most up-to-date numbers.