Alabama Republican Senate primary: Roy Moore defeats Trump backed Strange

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore has defeated Senator Luther Strange, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump in Tuesday's Senate primary runoff.

Trump, who supported Strange, took to Twitter to congratulate Moore, "Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy, WIN in Dec!"

As of 10:10 p.m. ET, Moore had 58 percent of the vote to Strange's 42 percent, according to the Alabama Secretary of State's office.

"We have to return the knowledge of God and the Constitution of the United States to the United States Congress," Moore said during his victory speech.

"I believe we can make America great, but we must make America good,And we cannot make America good without acknowledging the sovereign source of that goodness ... which is almighty God," CNN quoted Moore as saying.

Senator Luther Strange conceded his defeat before the official results were announced.

"I am especially grateful for the support of President Trump and Vice President Pence, as well as the strong example set by my friends Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions. I congratulate Roy Moore on the result this evening," Strange said in a statement. "May God be with him and may God continue to bless Alabama and the United States of America."

Moore now faces Democratic nominee Doug Jones in a December general election in the race to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Moore's win Tuesday night will thrust his long history of homophobic and racially tinged remarks into the spotlight.