In an interview that aired Friday on Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” Lt. Gov.-elect Will Ainsworth argued the general elections held in Alabama earlier this month proved that the state is a “Republican state” and that the 2017 election of Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate was a “fluke.”
Ainsworth told host Don Dailey the margins of victory for GOP candidates in statewide elections showed that conservative values mattered, noting that most were in the 20-point range.
He was asked if he was worried about the “blue wave” headed into the November 6 elections.
“You know, I wasn’t,” Ainsworth replied. “I believe in data and I believe in polling. And I think all the polling we saw – you know, Republicans statewide were for the most part up 20 points. That turned out to be correct, within the margin of error in almost every race. I think that in the districts, you know, Alabama is a conservative state. We’re a Republican state and conservative values matter. And I think we saw that in all the elections.”
The Marshall County Republican questioned the positions Jones had taken and argued they didn’t reflect Alabama values.
“In reference to Doug Jones, that was just a fluke,” he continued. “That does not, you know, reflect the values of Alabama. When you look at some of the positions he’s taken in D.C., I actually think he helped energize Republicans to make sure they got out and vote. We look at the Brett Kavanaugh hearings and the fact he voted against Brett Kavanaugh after he was treated like that.”
“I heard over and over, ‘Republicans were mad at what Democrats and Doug Jones were doing,’” he added. “And I think Doug Jones doesn’t represent Alabama values, and I’m convinced of that.”
As for Jones’ victory nearly a year ago, Ainsworth said the outcome was more of a reflection of backlash against 2017 Republican U.S. Senatorial nominee Roy Moore and not a confirmation of Jones’ positions by voters.
“I think with Doug Jones, it was more of a vote against Roy Moore than,” Ainsworth said. “We didn’t get a chance to really find out what does Doug Jones believe because if people would have found out he is pro-abortion and that he would have voted against Judge Kavanaugh – I mean, there’s no way he would have gotten elected in Alabama. We’re a conservative state. The values – conservative ideology, on a lot of issues.”
After a heated Republican primary runoff against Twinkle Cavanaugh for the party’s nod, Ainsworth defeated Democratic Party nominee Will Boyd by 22 points and was the top vote-getter of any candidate on the statewide ballot.
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and is the editor of Breitbart TV.