President Donald Trump tried to claim Wednesday morning that he had been right all along about the race. | Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images Trump: I originally backed Luther Strange because Moore couldn't win 
 
 President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday morning that he knew Republican Roy Moore, who he endorsed ahead of Tuesday’s special Senate election in Alabama, would be unable to win because “the deck was stacked against him!” 
 
 Trump tried to claim Wednesday morning that he had been right all along about the race, because he had initially endorsed Luther Strange, who ultimately lost to Moore, in the Alabama primary. 
 
 Story Continued Below 
 
 “The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him!” 
 
 Later Wednesday morning, he tweeted: "If last night’s election proved anything, it proved that we need to put up GREAT Republican candidates to increase the razor thin margins in both the House and Senate." 
 
 Moore was defeated Tuesday night by Doug Jones, the first Democrat from Alabama elected to the Senate in 25 years. Moore, a former chief judge of Alabama’s Supreme Court who was twice thrown off the bench for refusing to follow judicial orders, was accused during the campaign of sexually molesting and assaulting girls as young as 14 when he was a district attorney in his 30s. 
 
 Trump's Wednesday morning tweet followed one from the previous night, when he congratulated Jones on a "hard fought victory." 
 
 Trump had initially called on Moore to drop his Senate candidacy if the allegations were true, but wound up coming back into the Republican candidate’s fold last week with a full-throated endorsement. Trump recorded a robocall on Moore’s behalf that rang Alabamians’ phones earlier this week and hosted a rally last Friday just across the state line in Pensacola, Florida. 
 
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 While Trump on Wednesday touted his support for Strange, he privately expressed doubts about his endorsement even before Alabamian voters cast ballots in the GOP primary. The president held a rally for Strange in Alabama, but only at the urging of others, where he delivered a speech that famously included a screed against NFL players who protest during the national anthem. "I might have made a mistake," the president told the Alabama crowd at the time. 
 
 Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), once a loud critic of the president's who has more recently become a golf partner and cheerleader of Trump's, echoed the president's Monday-morning-quarterbacking with a post to his own Twitter account, bashing former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who loudly backed Moore's campaign. 
 
 "When it comes to Alabama politics Steve Bannon should have followed President @realDonaldTrump lead in supporting Luther Strange," Graham said Wednesday morning. "Trump’s instincts on the Alabama race proved to be correct." 
 
 It was unclear what Trump meant with his suggestion that “the deck was stacked against” Moore, given Alabama’s status among the most conservative states in the nation. The state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1992, when Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) ran as a member of the opposite party before becoming a Republican. The state has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976. 
 
 Jones's soon-to-be colleague on Capitol Hill, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) celebrated the Alabama Democrat's win Wednesday morning as a moment indicative of larger movement of Americans, and especially women, unhappy with the tone of Trump's presidency. 
 
 The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election. I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2017 
 
 
 
 "He's often berated women and made them feel that they cannot be heard, as well. And what I'm seeing today and what this election of Doug Jones is about is a statement by particularly women, African-American women, and the African-American community, coming out and saying we are going to vote our values," Gillibrand, who Trump attacked online on Tuesday with a tweet that some saw as laden with sexual innuendo, told NBC's "Today" show. 
 
 "This was an election about what we feel and our values and what we care about. And I think President Trump is wrong. He is a bully, and he has been attacking different people across this country since he's been president," she said. "Women have stood up, have fought hard, have spoken out about their beliefs, and they've not stopped. And so I think that is a testament to this election, and because of it, I have hope for this country." 
 
 Former Vice President Joe Biden, whose relationship with Jones dates back to Biden's 1988 presidential campaign, said he spoke to Jones three times on Tuesday. Biden headlined a rally in Alabama for Jones early on in his race against Moore and was perhaps the highest-profile Democrat to appear in-state on Jones's behalf. The former vice president said Jones was "over the moon" and "really anxious to get to work" in the Senate in the wake of his Tuesday night win, praising the senator-elect for using his victory speech to call on Congress to renew the Children's Health Insurance Program instead of bashing his GOP opponent. 
 
 The former vice president also suggested that Senate Republicans were likely breathing a sigh of relief in the wake of Moore's defeat, pleased that they would not have to be associated with Moore, a controversial firebrand even before the allegations of child molestation came out. 
 
 "Probably some if the happiest people in America today are the Republicans in the senate. No. I genuinely mean it," Biden, a former senator, said on "CBS This Morning" on Wednesday. "What I mean by that is that the divisiveness that was caused within the Republican party by Bannon and all the sort of bile that comes out of the administration is just -- I know the majority of the members on the Republican side and they're decent people. They’re not comfortable in this territory." ||||| The Drudge Report’s Matt Drudge blasted Alabama GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore after his loss Tuesday, saying Sen. Luther Strange Luther Johnson StrangeRepublicans fear Cochran replacement puts Senate seat at risk Mississippi is new headache for GOP in the South McDaniel makes GOP Senate challenge official in Miss. MORE (R-Ala.) would have won the race. 
 
 “Luther Strange would have won in a landslide... Just too much crazy in nerve racking times,�? Drudge said Tuesday night in a rare tweet. “There IS a limit!�? 
 
 Luther Strange would have won in a landslide... Just too much crazy in nerve racking times. There IS a limit! pic.twitter.com/vketz7G1OR — MATT DRUDGE (@DRUDGE) December 13, 2017 
 
 Strange was appointed to the hold seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsDEA moves to curb oversupply of opioids The rule-of-law party must unite around Mueller GOP Rep. Zeldin to lead call for second special counsel MORE until the special election. He lost the GOP primary to Moore. 
 
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 Drudge has previously labeled Moore “Judge Whore�? on his influential news-aggregation website after reports of sexual misconduct allegations against Moore were reported. 
 
 Moore was accused of sexual misconduct last month by multiple women, including one woman who said Moore initiated a sexual encounter with her when she was 14 years old and he was 32. 
 
 Moore denied the allegations, but he faced calls to drop out of the race from top Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell: Syria strikes were 'appropriate and measured' The Hill's 12:30 Report Senate to vote on repeal of CFPB auto-loan guidance MORE (R-Ky.), who supported Strange in the GOP primary. 
 
 President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump: US, North Korea holding talks at 'very high levels' Hoyer: Dems eying ways to roll back GOP tax law New Jersey governor signs automatic voter registration bill MORE threw his support behind Moore after the primary, during which he had supported Strange. In recent days, he urged his followers on Twitter to vote for Moore and held a campaign rally near the Alabama border in support of Moore. 
 
 Jones’s stunning victory tightens Republicans’ margin in the Senate, giving them just a 51-49 advantage over Democrats heading into the 2018 midterm elections. ||||| Former Alabama Chief Justice and U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore walks off the stage Monday, Sept. 25, 2017, in Fairhope, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Associated Press) 
 
 MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Latest on Alabama's GOP primary (all times local): 
 
 8:50 p.m. 
 
 Incumbent Sen. Luther Strange wished jurist Roy Moore well after losing the Alabama Republican primary for Senate. 
 
 Strange told his supporters Tuesday night that "we wish (Moore) well going forward." 
 
 But he quickly shifted to his own bewilderment at the race he just finished. "We're dealing with a political environment that I've never had any experience with," he said. 
 
 "I'm telling you, the political seas and winds in this country right now ... are very hard to navigate, very hard to understand." 
 
 Strange also thanked President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for backing him. 
 
 Strange said Trump, may "be criticized" for coming to Alabama on his behalf. "Sometimes it's just about friendship ... a common goal to make the country better," he said. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:45 p.m. 
 
 A group that put millions of dollars behind Sen. Luther Strange in Alabama's Senate race says it will now back Roy Moore. 
 
 Senate Leadership Fund President and CEO Steven Law said Tuesday that Moore won the nomination "fair and square." 
 
 Law says Moore "has our support, as it is vital that we keep this seat in Republican hands." 
 
 The group, which has ties to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, put millions of dollars behind Strange in the heated GOP primary with Moore. 
 
 Moore will face Democrat Doug Jones in December. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:25 p.m. 
 
 Firebrand jurist Roy Moore has won the Alabama Republican primary for U.S. Senate, defeating an appointed incumbent backed by President Donald Trump and allies of Sen. Mitch McConnell. 
 
 In an upset likely to rock the party establishment, Moore clinched victory Tuesday over Sen. Luther Strange to win the GOP nomination for the Senate seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Moore will face Democrat Doug Jones in a Dec. 12 special election. 
 
 Moore is the state's former chief justice who was twice removed from his duties for defying federal courts over same-sex marriage and the public display of the Ten Commandments. 
 
 Propelled by evangelical voters, Moore consolidated support from a number of anti-establishment forces, including former White House strategist Steve Bannon. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8:10 p.m. 
 
 Alabama Sen. Luther Strange has yet to appear at his election night party where several dozen of his supporters are gathering to watch early returns showing Strange trailing Roy Moore in a U.S. Senate primary runoff. 
 
 Strange's supporters were late arrivals to the suburban Birmingham hotel, and many are quietly watching returns and suggesting that Moore's wide leads in many counties will be too much for Strange to overcome. 
 
 Strange is watching returns privately. 
 
 He was appointed to the seat earlier this year when Jeff Sessions won confirmation as the nation's attorney general. 
 
 ____ 
 
 7:55 p.m. 
 
 Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore entered his election night party to applause from supporters optimistic that he will win the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. 
 
 Moore smiled broadly Tuesday evening as he exchanged handshakes and hugs from supporters. He did not speak to the crowd. 
 
 He will watch returns in a room in another part of the building. 
 
 Moore is competing against incumbent Sen. Luther Strange for the nomination for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' former Senate seat. 
 
 Former University of Alabama running back Siran Stacy, who is now a pastor, led the crowd in a prayer as they held their hands up in worship, and a hymn. 
 
 The crowd applauded as the first results showed Moore leading in rural counties. 
 
 ___ 
 
 7:05 p.m. 
 
 Polls have closed in Alabama's Republican Senate primary runoff. 
 
 Voting ended 7 p.m. Tuesday in the race to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessions' former Senate seat. 
 
 U.S. Sen. Luther Strange and firebrand jurist Roy Moore are competing in the Alabama's GOP primary that has pitted President Donald Trump against a former top adviser. 
 
 Trump is backing Strange. Former White House strategist Steve Bannon is supporting Moore. Moore's campaign chairman said Bannon is expected to attend Moore's election night party in Montgomery, Alabama. 
 
 The winner faces Democrat Doug Jones in December. 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:30 p.m. 
 
 Sen. Luther Strange is urging voters to get the polls in Alabama's heated GOP runoff for the Senate seat. 
 
 "President Donald Trump needs you NOW!" the campaign wrote in a Tuesday message that was emailed to supporters at midday. The campaign urged people to get to the polls before they close at 7 p.m. 
 
 His campaign has emphasized his endorsement from Trump. 
 
 Strange voted early Tuesday morning in the race where he faces former state chief justice Roy Moore. Strange then greeted breakfast diners at nearby restaurants. 
 
 ___ 
 
 2:15 p.m. 
 
 Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill says turnout for the state's Republican runoff for U.S. Senate is so far looking pretty low. 
 
 Merrill said he was projecting a 12 to 15 percent turnout for Tuesday's race. 
 
 Sen. Luther Strange and Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore are vying for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat that belonged to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. 
 
 Low turnout is largely considered to be positive for Moore, who has a loyal following among state evangelical voters. 
 
 Moore led Strange by about 25,000 votes in the crowded August primary, and runoff polls have shown him leading or in a dead heat with Strange. 
 
 Turnout for the August primary was 17 percent. 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:45 a.m. 
 
 Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore has cast his ballot after riding a horse to his rural polling place in northeastern Alabama. 
 
 Moore wore a short-sleeve shirt and a white cowboy hat Tuesday morning as he climbed off his mount outside the Gallant Volunteer Fire Department. 
 
 Accompanied by relatives, he chatted with fellow voters and marked his ballot in the tiny precinct. 
 
 Moore and appointed Sen. Luther Strange are vying for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Strange voted earlier in suburban Birmingham. 
 
 Moore says riding a horse to vote is an Election Day tradition for him. His house is near his polling place. 
 
 ___ 
 
 8 a.m. 
 
 Alabama Sen. Luther Strange is billing himself as the "true conservative" as voters go to the polls in the state's special GOP primary runoff election. 
 
 Strange called a supportive conservative talk show on Birmingham's WERC radio after voting Tuesday. He made a final plea for support in his race against former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. 
 
 Moore is casting Strange as being part of the problem in Washington since he's supported by the GOP establishment. But Strange denies that and says he's only trying to get President Donald Trump's agenda passed through Congress. 
 
 A super PAC aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has pumped millions of dollars into the Alabama race on behalf of Strange. But Strange says he only met McConnell a few months ago and denies being close to him. 
 
 The winner of the Republican runoff will face Democratic nominee Doug Jones in the general election. 
 
 ___ 
 
 7:10 a.m. 
 
 Polls have opened in a special U.S. Senate election in Alabama where President Donald Trump is backing the establishment candidate to keep the seat once held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. 
 
 Trump supported Sen. Luther Strange with a Tweet sent before voting began Tuesday morning. 
 
 Strange is being opposed by former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, known for publicly displaying the Ten Commandments and opposing gay marriage. Former Trump aide Steve Bannon spoke at a rally in support of Moore on Monday night. 
 
 Moore led Strange by about 25,000 votes in the crowded August primary. Runoff polls have shown him leading, or in a dead heat with, Strange, who is a former state attorney general. 
 
 ___ 
 
 6 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump is making a final push for Sen. Luther Strange in Alabama's GOP primary. 
 
 Trump tweeted early Tuesday before voting began: "Luther Strange has been shooting up in the Alabama polls since my endorsement. Finish the job - vote for 'Big Luther.'" 
 
 The Alabama primary is being closely watched to see how much political sway Trump still has in the populist, conservative movement that helped send him to the White House. 
 
 Strange, the establishment-backed incumbent, is locked in a tight race with former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. Moore is a jurist known for pushing unsuccessfully for the public display of the Ten Commandments and opposing gay marriage. He is backed by some of Trump's most ardent supporters and has the support of Trump's former aide Steve Bannon. 
 
 ___ 
 
 4:30 a.m. 
 
 U.S. Sen. Luther Strange and firebrand jurist Roy Moore face off in Alabama's GOP primary that has pitted President Donald Trump against a former top adviser. 
 
 Vice President Mike Pence campaigned for Strange in Alabama ahead of Tuesday's runoff. Trump's former strategist Steve Bannon endorsed Moore, arguing he's a better fit for the "populist, nationalist, conservative movement." 
 
 The two Republicans are vying for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' former Senate seat. The winner will face Democrat Doug Jones in December. 
 
 Strange, the state's former attorney general, was appointed to the seat in February. Moore is the state's former chief justice. He was twice ousted from those duties over stands against gay marriage and for the public display of the Ten Commandments. ||||| The Alabama GOP Senate primary on Tuesday will go a long way in answering the overriding question of the race: How much do Mitch McConnell’s cash and Donald Trump’s endorsement matter? 
 
 The brutal fight on the Republican side is all but assured to go to a September runoff, with no one expected to reach the 50 percent threshold to win the nomination outright. Sen. Luther Strange has the backing of Trump — who remains immensely popular in Alabama and cut a robocall for the senator on Monday — and millions in ads from a McConnell-blessed super PAC. 
 
 Story Continued Below 
 
 Even with that help, Strange isn't a lock to secure a spot in the runoff. Polls show ex-state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore consistently leading, while Strange and Rep. Mo Brooks are battling for the runner-up position. 
 
 The polls close at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local time). Here are POLITICO’s five things to watch as Moore, Strange and Brooks vie for the top two slots to advance to the Sept. 26 runoff: 
 
 Where does Strange land — and what does it mean? 
 
 With a massive cash advantage, powerhouse endorsements and the advantages of incumbency, Strange should be the front-runner. But swirling questions about how he was appointed to the seat by the disgraced ex-Gov. Robert Bentley have dogged Strange throughout his campaign. 
 
 “Luther Strange is the first opportunity voters have to put a head on a spike for all the corruption that’s been going on in Republican politics in the last three years," one former Alabama GOP official said. 
 
 Strange denies any impropriety and instead touts his record of taking on corruption as the twice-elected state attorney general. 
 
 But should Strange somehow not make the runoff — he's consistently placed second in polls, though the margin between him and Brooks is narrow — it would be a huge embarrassment for McConnell and establishment Republicans who have invested millions to help Strange secure the nomination. 
 
 Will Trump’s endorsement amount to anything? 
 
 In a race in which the candidates have tripped over each other trying to align themselves with the president, Strange can proudly claim he is Trump's man. 
 
 Trump announced the endorsement in a surprise tweet last week, tweeted again on Monday to boost the senator and recorded a robocall to help get out the vote on Election Day. 
 
 How much Trump’s imprimatur matters is unclear, but Strange isn’t hesitating to remind voters of it at every turn. 
 
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 To a crowd of Republicans in Homewood, Alabama last week, Strange recounted the phone call with Trump when he informed the senator of the endorsement, when the president told him: “I’ve never done this in a contested primary before, I’m sure I’m going to be criticized, but it’s important to get my agenda passed and I appreciate what you’re going through to get it done.” 
 
 “So, I can’t say anything more than what the president himself has said,” Strange told local party activists in the Birmingham suburb. “I hope you will bear that in mind.” 
 
 How high does Moore go? 
 
 Virtually every poll has shown Moore making the runoff by a comfortable margin. A trio of recent surveys had the judge leading the field with support in the 31 to 35 percent range. 
 
 Rep. Mo Brooks (left) is battling for the runner-up position in the Alabama GOP primary; polls show ex-state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore (right) consistently leading. | AP Photos 
 
 Republican officials expect turnout to be low, which would likely hurt the rest of the field but potentially boost Moore, given his enthusiastic base. At the same time, Moore’s campaign is floating the idea that he could exceed expectations and win somewhere above 35 percent but probably below the 50 percent needed to clinch the nomination outright. 
 
 Moore’s campaign is also banking on Trump’s endorsement making only a marginal difference in the primary. 
 
 “I’m sure it’s got some effect on some people but I don’t sense the folks I’m talking to are being moved by it,” said Moore campaign chairman Bill Armistead. "I think the die is pretty well cast.” 
 
 What does the outcome signal for the runoff? 
 
 Strange is struggling even with the support of the president and the GOP establishment. Assuming he makes it to the runoff, though, the strength of his second-place finish will set expectations for how winnable the election is — or not. 
 
 If Strange barely makes it into the runoff — or comes in third — it will call into question the influence of Trump’s support in a reliably Republican state. If Strange exceeds the low 20-percent support he's gotten in recent polls, he'll still face a tough battle against Moore but won’t have to field a wave of questions about his ultimate viability or the power of Trump's endorsement. 
 
 What about the Democratic primary? 
 
 A Democrat hasn’t held a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama since 1997 but the party feels it might have an outside shot if the chips all fall its way. 
 
 Seven candidates are running for the Democratic nomination, but two are really in play: former U.S. attorney Doug Jones and Robert Kennedy Jr., a Navy veteran and business executive who’s unrelated to the Kennedy family. 
 
 Jones is the favorite of the Democratic establishment and has been endorsed by former Vice President Joe Biden as well as a handful of members of Congress. Democrats hope Jones’ civil rights records, including being the federal prosecutor who convicted two Klansmen involved in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, and a chaotic Republican primary will create an opening for the seat. 
 
 A Raycom News Network and Strategy Research poll released in late July found Kennedy leading the Democratic field with 49 percent support and Jones in second place with 28 percent. This was before the endorsement by Biden, who has strong ties to Southern Democrats, but Jones’ campaign is still bracing for a tight election night and a likely runoff battle ahead. ||||| © Provided by The Hill Trump deletes tweets backing Strange after primary loss 
 
 President Trump on Tuesday began deleting his tweets supporting Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.) in Alabama's Senate primary after Strange lost the race to former state Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore. 
 
 Trump had tweeted about Strange several times in the days leading up to the primary, including the day of, but started to delete the tweets Tuesday night. 
 
 Those deleted tweets included those he sent the night before the election and the day of the race. A project from ProPublica documents the deleted tweets. 
 
 "Big election tomorrow in the Great State of Alabama. Vote for Senator Luther Strange, tough on crime & border - will never let you down!" read one of the deleted tweets. 
 
 Trump is erasing his support of Luther after his loss tonight https://t.co/ee9r7FbOvhpic.twitter.com/GsyrPo8tJC - Jon Passantino (@passantino) September 27, 2017 
 
 Older Trump tweets backing Strange remained live as of Tuesday evening. 
 
 Trump tweeted congratulations to Moore on Tuesday night. The president had promised to back Moore if he won the race. 
 
 Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy, WIN in Dec! - Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2017 
 
 Strange's loss was also Trump's first electoral defeat since taking office. 
 
 ]]>
– President Trump ended his night by congratulating Doug Jones, and began his morning by tweeting that he essentially knew Jones would be the victor. "The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election," he tweeted. "I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him!" Politico scratched its head at the "deck was stacked against" Moore part, noting Alabama ranks as one of America's most conservative states and hasn't voted a Democrat into the Senate since 1992 (the last time it went Democrat for president was 1976). The Hill reports Trump wasn't the only one to react to the Moore news by tweeting about Strange. In what it calls a "rare tweet," Matt Drudge wrote: "Luther Strange would have won in a landslide... Just too much crazy in nerve racking times. There IS a limit!" In a second tweet, Trump offered his Alabama takeaway: "If last night's election proved anything, it proved that we need to put up GREAT Republican candidates to increase the razor thin margins in both the House and Senate."