For the last couple of months, speculation has been rampant about the possibility of native Alabamian and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions entering the Republican primary of the 2020 election for the Senate seat he once held.
On Thursday, less than 24 hours before the qualifying deadline, Sessions made it official with an announcement on Fox News Channel’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and putting his campaign website online, which featured a video explaining his intentions.
With that, Sessions joins an already-crowded field, which includes former Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope), Secretary of State John Merrill, former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore and State Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs).
Despite a very public falling out with President Donald Trump after his tenure heading the Department of Justice, Sessions pledged that he was still loyal to Trump during his appearance on Fox News.
“[I] would like to be able to go to the people of Alabama and tell them with all honesty, I believe in this agenda,” Sessions said. “I was for this agenda before President Trump announced, and I supported it when he was president, when he was running for president. I supported him. And if I return to the senate — no, no senator in the Senate will be more for advancing Trump’s agenda than I would be.”
Shortly before his Fox News appearance, Sessions’ campaign site went online, which included a video of Sessions maintaining he was still loyal to Trump and Trump’s causes.
“When I left President Trump’s cabinet, did I write a tell-all book? No,” Sessions says in the campaign spot. “Did I go on CNN and attack the President? No. Have I said a cross word about President Trump? No. And I’ll tell you why: First, that would be dishonorable. I was there to serve his agenda, not mine. Second, the President is doing a great job for America and Alabama, and he has my strong support. As everyone knows, President Trump and I have had our ups and downs. But here’s the important part: the President is doing great work for America.”
Republicans voters will have an opportunity to choose from Sessions and his competitors on March 3, 2020 to determine who will face the likely Democratic Party nominee, incumbent Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook).
Jones reacted to the announcement with a statement provided to Yellowhammer News, suggesting a focus on his opponents and Trump.
“Since Jeff is not running against me at this point, it would seem that folks need to be focused on the reactions of his opponents in the Republican primary and perhaps President Trump’s tweets about him over the last couple of years,” Jones said.
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University, the editor of Breitbart TV and host of “The Jeff Poor Show” from 2-5 p.m. on WVNN in Huntsville.
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