Doug Jones (The Birmingham News/Joe Songer)

NAFUSA President Elect Doug Jones advised the NAFUSA board of directors that he was stepping down from his NAFUSA position to run for the United States Senate seat in Alabama. See Doug Jones announces run for US Senate (AL.Com) The vacancy occurred when Jeff Sessions resigned from the Senate to become the Attorney General. Luther Strange was named to the vacancy by the Governor of Alabama but must must run in a special election. The primary election is August 15, with a runoff, if needed, on September 26. The general election is December 12. NAFUSA President Bart Daniel announced that he would call a meeting of the nominations committee to suggest a replacement to the NAFUSA board for the position of president elect.

Jones was nominated as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama by President Clinton in 1997, and served until 2001. Jones was best known as the lead prosecutor in the successful prosecution of the murderers responsible for the killing of four young girls in the 1963 Sixteenth Baptist Church bombing. In private practice, Jones has specialized in white-collar criminal defense, business litigation and class-action lawsuits. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He served as staff counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for the late Sen. Howell Heflin of Alabama.