MADISON, Ala. — Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has ended months of speculation about who he would formally back in the Republican presidential primary, officially throwing his support behind billionaire real estate mogul Donald J. Trump.
During a massive campaign rally at a high school football stadium, Sessions said Trump can be trusted to solve the nation’s immigration and trade issues.
“This isn’t a campaign, this is a movement,” Sessions said to a roaring crowd. “Look at what’s happened. The American people are not happy with their government… There is an opportunity Tuesday — it may be the last opportunity we have — for the people’s voice to be heard… Politicians have promised for 30 years to fix illegal immigration… Donald Trump will do it. You have known for years these trade agreements have not been working. We’ll soon have a vote on ‘ObamaTrade’ and it will damage America… It should not pass. Donald Trump, when he gets elected President, will see it does not pass. This movement — he doesn’t take money from political groups and lobbyists. He’s committed to leading this country in an effective way… I think at this time in America’s history, we need to ‘Make America Great Again.’ I am please do endorse Donald Trump for the Presidency of the United States.”
The crowd erupted in chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A!” and “Trump, Trump Trump!”
“I am deeply honored to have the endorsement of Senator Jeff Sessions, leader of congressional conservatives,” Trump said in a press release. “He has been called the Senate’s indispensable man and the gold standard. He led the fight against the Gang of Eight, against Obama’s trade deal, against Obama’s judges, and for American sovereignty. He has stood up to special interests as few have. There is no more respected man in Congress and we are closely aligned on many issues, including trade and illegal immigration, and I am proud to consider Jeff Sessions an advisor, friend and ally.”
After months of being shunned by most high-profile GOP politicians, Trump has in the last week received endorsements from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Maine Gov. Paul LePage and former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-Ca.) and Chris Collins (R-NY) also became the first members of Congress to publicly jump on the Trump train.
But no endorsement outside of perhaps Florida Gov. Rick Scott carries as much weight as Sessions’ — Scott because he’s the popular governor of a large and hotly contested state, Sessions because he is widely viewed as the heart and soul of the populist conservative movement.
Sessions rarely makes official endorsements, but he has been vocally supporting Trump’s positions on immigration and trade for months.
Appearing on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” last week, Sessions said Trump is well positioned to win the General Election because he is garnering support from “working Americans,” including some Democrats.
“The American people are fed up,” said Sessions. “They want action on (immigration) and Donald Trump is symbolizing it.”
When asked directly if Trump could “beat Hillary Clinton,” Sessions replied, “I think so… It looks like working people who may have been voting for Democrats voted for Trump in huge numbers… You cannot win an election with the simple Republican base. You have to have a nominee who can reach beyond that base. Trump is reaching out to working Americans in a way others so far have not been able to do. That’s the way you get over 50 percent. I’ve been talking about that for seven years. Our geniuses – our consultant geniuses said you have got to be more moderate and you have to more amnesty and that’s the way to win an election. I think Trump is proving that is not so.”
