Candidate Doug Jones has won the Alabama Senate primary, the Associated Press projected.

Eight candidates were on the ballot for the Democratic nomination: Will Boyd, Vann Caldwell, Jason Fisher, Michael Hansen, Jones, Robert Kennedy Jr., Brian McGee, and Charles Nana.

Jones, a former U.S. Attorney known for the prosecution of convicted killers Thomas Blanton and Bobby Frank Cherry for the 1963 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, has picked up several endorsements from Democratic leaders, including Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and Rep. Terri Sewell.

The latest count from the AP, which reflected 86 percent of the vote, showed Jones won 84,625 votes-- or 63.6 percent.

Kennedy came in with 25,271 votes or 19.0 percent; Hansen with 9,533 or 7.2 percent; and Boyd with 7,232 or 5.4 percent.

Last week, Jones also received an endorsement from former Vice President Joe Biden.

"All my life I have been trying to work with folks to make sure people have equal opportunities--they're treated fairly, they're treated the same under the law, they re treated with dignity and respect," Jones said when he arrived to his watch party after learning he had won.

"You know, 15 years ago, I actually went up against the Klan. And we won," Jones said.

Jones said his campaign is looking forward to the general election set for later this year. "We're going to have the same message through December that we've had through August."

"As your United States Senator, I am going to continue to fight for everybody in this state," Jones said."I'm going to be an independent voice... Im going to be beholden only to the people of the state of Alabama."

Watch his full speech below.

Other more widely-known candidates for the Democratic nomination were Hansen, the openly gay executive director of Alabama environmental advocacy group Gasp, and Kennedy, a Mobile County resident who has been silent throughout the race about his occupation.

After the results came in, Hansen said he was enthusiastic about his campaign but is proud of Jones and the work Jones' campaign put in.

"I will be working as hard as I can to make sure he has a shot on December 12," Hansen said.

Upon first arriving to his watch party at FIVE restaurant in Lakeview, Jones commented on the recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. "We've got to move forward... [Charlottesville] may be a tipping point." Jones also said he was upset with President Donald Trump's reaction to the incident. "I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I am with him on this issue," Jones said.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said voter turnout at Tuesday's primary was expected to be low, with just 10 to 15 percent of people statewide showing up to cast their ballots.

Doug Jones has won the Democratic primary for the AL Senate race Posted by The Birmingham News on Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Kennedy did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.