WASHINGTON, D.C. – Alabama Sen. Doug Jones says he will vote to convict President Donald Trump on Wednesday as the Senate impeachment trial reaches its climax.
Jones is considered the most endangered Democrat in this November's elections, so his decision is significant.
Alabama backed Trump by 28 percentage points in 2016, and Jones squeaked to a narrow special election victory in 2017.
Jones said he made his decision after many sleepless nights.
Democratic leaders are hoping Democratic senators will unanimously vote to remove Trump and erase a potential GOP talking point that Trump's acquittal was bipartisan.
The Senate is so far cleaving neatly along party lines in advance of Wednesday's virtually certain votes to acquit Trump on the two impeachment charges, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
A leading GOP moderate, Susan Collins of Maine, has announced she will vote to acquit Trump, leaving Utah Sen. Mitt Romney as the only potential GOP vote to convict Trump of abusing his office and stonewalling Congress.
The chamber's top Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, again slammed the impeachment drive of House Democrats as “the most rushed, least fair and least thorough" in history and confirmed that he will vote to acquit Trump.
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of sweeping Trump's misconduct under the rug.