Tommy Tuberville’s Republican campaign for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday morning released a new television ad that features former Auburn University linebacker Eltoro Freeman, who won a national championship with the Tigers in the 2010-2011 season.
The release of the ad comes one day after Yellowhammer News’ exclusive report on Freeman praising Tuberville’s character and leadership.
The new campaign spot features Freeman, a native of Alexander City, delivering unscripted testimony about Tuberville as a person.
“In 2006, I had the opportunity to meet Coach Tommy Tuberville,” Freeman advises in the ad. “The thing that separated Coach Tuberville from all the other coaches was he seemed to care more about Eltoro Freeman the person instead of Eltoro Freeman the athlete.”
“Coach Tommy Tuberville was like a father figure. His ultimate goal was to make you a better man,” he continues.
Freeman, as he did when speaking to Yellowhammer News earlier this week, then highlights Tuberville’s faith and how he allowed his players to find and strengthen their relationship with God on The Plains.
“What he’s done for Auburn University – hiring Brother Chette Williams as football team chaplain – with the lives that he has impacted. To have a coach that stands on a foundation – a Godly foundation – is remarkable, and that’s how he’s able to connect and motivate and also inspire people to be the best at what they do,” Freeman says.
“Don’t believe any type of attack against that may be placed on Tommy Tuberville,” Freeman adds. “He’s a man of faith. He’s a man of love. Coach Tommy Tuberville is running for Senate because he simply just cares about the people.”
The full ad runs 60 seconds, which is double the length of a normal TV ad; according to the campaign, the spot will air on broadcast and cable stations throughout the state as well as through digital mediums.
“I’ve had a lot of special experiences as a Senate candidate over the past year-and-a-half, but hearing the kind words Eltoro had to share about the influence I had upon him may be the most special,” Tuberville said in a Wednesday statement. “The Doug Jones campaign has thrown a lot of baseless negative attacks our way, and we all know that more untruths are coming, so having one of my recruits stand up and ask to defend me in his own words speaks volumes.”
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Tuberville is set to face U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) in November’s general election.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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