Weary Republicans in the US have breathed a collective sigh of relief, a day after voters knocked out their own party's scandal-plagued candidate Roy Moore in deep-red Alabama. Yet all is not well in a party confronted with new rounds of infighting and a suddenly shrinking Senate majority heading into next year's midterm elections.
A semi-humbled President Donald Trump conceded that Moore's loss was not his preferred outcome. He said he "would have liked to have had the seat" and an important Senate vote as he and GOP lawmakers scratch for legislative victories.
But he also acknowledged, "A lot of Republicans feel differently. They feel very happy about the way it turned out."
Moore, in a video released by his campaign, said it was a close race and that some military and provisional ballots had yet to be counted. He said he was waiting for certification of the final vote by the Alabama secretary of state, which is expected to occur sometime between December 26 and January 3.
Unofficial returns show that Democrat Doug Jones defeated Moore by around 20,000 votes or 1.5 per cent.
Moore released the message several hours after Jones urged him to "do the right thing" and concede. Moore, who is known for his evangelical politics, called the election a battle for the "heart and soul" of the country
Senator-elect Doug Jones' stunning Democratic victory marked a major setback for Trump and top political ally Steve Bannon. They had devoted time, resources and political capital to Moore in recent days, even as he faced allegations of sexual misconduct and espoused views that alienated women, racial minorities, gays and Muslims.
Despite the outcome's relief for the GOP's pragmatic wing, the fight for the party's soul was hardly decided with one Alabama special election.
At the same time, the Alabama contest sounded an undeniable alarm for Republican officials charged with defending the party's majorities in the House and Senate next year. Under the weight of Trump's historically low approval ratings, Alabama put their concerns on steroids.
In the shorter term, it's unclear how the loss will affect the Republicans' governing agenda.
When Jones is sworn into office - likely in early January - the GOP's Senate majority will shrink to pinhole-sized 51-49. That increases pressure on Republicans to push their prized $US1.5 trillion ($A2.1 trillion) tax bill through Congress before politicians leave town late this month, a goal they seem likely to achieve.
The GOP already faced an uphill battle for any major legislative achievements in the near term.
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