Story highlights Winner will have to be certified over the next few weeks

Senate is expected to adjourn by December 22

(CNN) Doug Jones was projected the winner of the Alabama special election Tuesday and he is sure to shake up the Senate, eating into Republicans' slim majority ... but probably not before the new year.

Alabama's special election votes will have to be certified over the next few weeks before the winner can take the oath of office.

This means Democrats looking to stop the tax bill making its way through Congress now won't be able to count on Jones to vote against it. Republicans will have current Sen. Luther Strange still in office. Strange will remain in the seat until the new senator is sworn into office.

Republicans currently hold a 52-48 majority in the Senate and after Jones is seated that will drop to 51-49. Vice President Mike Pence can cast tie-breaking votes.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reiterated that timeline to reporters Tuesday, saying, "Sen. Strange is going to be here through the end of this session."

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