Rep. Martha Roby has received the president’s seal of approval, a tweet of endorsement in her Republican primary runoff bid for reelection to represent Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.
Congresswoman Martha Roby of Alabama has been a consistent and reliable vote for our Make America Great Again Agenda. She is in a Republican Primary run-off against a recent Nancy Pelosi voting Democrat. I fully endorse Martha for Alabama 2nd Congressional District!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2018
Trump’s endorsement queued all the buzzwords which have dominated conversations around the race, particularly by addressing Roby’s fidelity to his “Make America Great Again” agenda and by hitting Roby’s runoff opponent, Bobby Bright, as a “recent Nancy Pelosi voting Democrat.”
Bright supported Nancy Pelosi’s speakership when he represented the district from 2009 to 2011, before Roby unseated him.
Why this matters: It’s usual for a president to endorse incumbents of his own party but this endorsement is big news, considering that Roby’s inability to win outright in the June 5 primary has been widely attributed by national media to her strong rebuke of Trump following the “Access Hollywood” tape’s release.
The question of Roby’s loyalty to Trump was raised repeatedly by her primary challengers, state Rep. Barry Moore and Roy Moore ally Rich Hobson. The two even mentioned Roby’s de-endorsement of Trump as part of what motivated them to challenge her.
“As a resident of Alabama’s 2nd congressional district, my prayer is that whoever wins this seat will work with President Trump as we continue to make America great again,” Barry Moore told Yellowhammer at the news of Trump’s endorsement of Roby. “Obviously this election has not turned out the way I had hoped, but, everything else has—my small business is busier than ever.”
“I spoke to President Trump this morning and thanked him for his endorsement in my primary runoff on July 17,” Roby said today in a statement. “As I’ve said many times, my voting record on behalf of the people of Alabama’s Second District reflects my commitment to a shared conservative agenda with this administration. I’ve enjoyed a positive working relationship with the White House and Republicans in Congress as we fight together to get our conservative priorities over the finish line for the American people.”
Trump has shown a tendency to endorse those Republicans who have rebuked him publicly, including Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama’s 5th Congressional District.
Alabama’s primary runoff is July 17.
@jeremywbeaman is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News
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