Joe Biden Dispatches to Alabama to Campaign for Doug Jones

Doug Jones, the Democratic candidate in the race to replace Jeff Sessions’ vacated Senate seat, announced Wednesday that former Vice President Joe Biden will appear at a campaign rally for Jones on October 3.

According to WBRC, Jones is honored to have Biden join his campaign.

“We are thrilled and deeply honored to have my longtime friend Vice President Joe Biden visit the great state of Alabama to reinforce his strong support of my campaign for the U.S. Senate. I have known and respected Joe Biden for almost 40 years now. He is the epitome of what we all hope public service can be.”

Biden expressed his support for Jones, touting his experience with civil rights and social justice.

“I have seen Doug Jones’ dedication to civil rights and social justice. From his time as U.S. Attorney prosecuting the 16th Street Baptist Church bombers to his private life as an advocate for social justice and economic empowerment, Doug Jones is a proven leader in which we can place our trust. Doug Jones will make a great U.S. Senator.”

The event will be held at the Sheraton in downtown Birmingham. Jones is currently waiting to see who his Republican opponent will be for the December 12 election. Voters take to the polls Tuesday in the highly anticipated runoff between Roy Moore and Luther Strange.

While the Republican race has seen millions of dollars in outside funding and endorsements from all corners of the political arena, the Democratic side has been relatively quiet. Perhaps Biden’s interest in the race shows a perceived opportunity by Democrats to flip a senate seat in a strongly Republican but divided state? Any significant Democratic challenge is highly unlikely in red Alabama, but is worth keeping an eye on as the special election enters its final leg.