Trump, Hillary Clinton and others congratulate Doug Jones on Alabama victory

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White House: Roy Moore wasn't President Trump's first pick

Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley says that in a binary choice between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones, President Trump supported the candidate that would back his agenda.

President Donald Trump along with other politicians from both sides of the aisle reacted late Tuesday after Democratic Alabama Senate candidate Doug Jones defeated Republican Roy Moore in a special election.

Trump congratulated Jones in a tweet on his “hard fought victory” and said Republicans will "have another shot at the seat in a very short period of time.”

Hillary Clinton also took to Twitter to congratulate citizens of Alabama for electing a senator “who’ll make them proud.”

“Tonight, Alabama voters elected a senator who'll make them proud,” Clinton tweeted. ”And if Democrats can win in Alabama, we can -- and must -- compete everywhere. Onward!”

Clinton was joined in her enthusiasm by former Vice President Joe Biden, who thanked Alabama in a tweet. Democrats were surely emboldened after winning one of the state's Senate seats.

It was the first Democratic Senate victory in a quarter-century in the state and proved anew that party loyalty is anything but sure in the age of Trump. The Republican loss was a major embarrassment for the president and a fresh wound for the nation’s already divided GOP.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., predicted that Jones is going to be an “outstanding senator” and lambasted Moore’s candidacy.

“Roy Moore was an awful candidate and never should have gotten to the senate. But make no mistake about it, just like Virginia, Democrats are energized, focused on the middle class and those struggling to get there, and things are looking better and better for 2018,” Schumer wrote.

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who has been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration, tweeted two words:  “Decency wins.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., congratulated Jones on being a great candidate and said that was the reason why he won over Moore.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said that Jones’ win is a “victory for showing up, fighting to the end.”

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Fox News projected that Jones received 49.5 percent of the vote, while Moore received 48.8 percent of the vote.

Fox News' Kevin Kirby and the Associated Press contributed to this report