Vice President Mike Pence administered the Senate's oath of office to Jones, the first Alabama Democrat elected to the Senate in a quarter century, and to former Minnesota Lt. Gov. He was one of at least four federal lawmakers who announced plans to leave office amid sexual misconduct allegations as the “#MeToo” movement encouraged women to speak out about their experiences of sexual harassment and assault. "I will be an independent voice and work to find common ground with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get Washington back on track and fight to make our country a better place for all," Jones said after defeating Republican Roy Moore in a special election rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct against Moore. Flanked by former Vice President Walter Mondale and Minnesota’s senior U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Smith stood before Vice President Mike Pence in the chamber of the U.S. Senate, and, with her left hand laid across a family Bible from the mid-1800s, took the oath of office as Minnesota’s newest U.S. senator. Jones was sworn in to replace Luther Strange, who took office in February 2017 after President Donald Trump chose then-Sen. Jeff Sessions to serve as attorney general. Smith, 59, a longtime behind-the-scenes operative for Democrats in Minnesota who has never held — or sought — elected office before, found herself unexpectedly in the Senate via an appointment from Gov. She passed last year on a chance to succeed retiring Democratic Governor Mark Dayton, who appointed her to the Senate.
Two new Democratic senators—Doug Jones of Alabama and Tina Smith of Minnesota—are sworn in, bringing the Republican majority down to 51–49.