Wednesday, former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville’s 2020 U.S. Senate effort got a shot in the arm with its first major endorsement from a prominent elected official.
State Sen. Tom Whatley (R-Auburn) formally announced his endorsement of Tuberville’s candidacy. Whatley’s announcement is the second of such in recent weeks as the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA) gave its endorsement to Tuberville as well.
In a statement provided by the Tuberville campaign, Whatley applauded Tuberville as an “outspoken supporter” of military veterans and cited him as someone that would be strong on immigration issues.
“I am proud to endorse my friend, Tommy Tuberville, for the United States Senate,” Whatley said. “I have known Coach Tuberville for years and am confident he’s the strong, Christian conservative leader we need to defeat Doug Jones and make Alabama red again. As a Colonel in the Alabama Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserves, I want a Senator who is an outspoken supporter of our military veterans and backs it up with action.”
“In the U.S. Senate, Coach Tuberville will make veterans’ health care a top priority,” he continued. “Coach Tuberville will also stand with President Trump to stop illegal immigration and secure our borders. He knows we need to build the wall, ban sanctuary cities, and crack down on violent gangs.”
The Lee County Republican lawmaker praised Tuberville’s outsider qualities and noted his support from ALFA, which Whatley explained was a sign Tuberville would be a strong advocate for agriculture.
“Just like President Trump, Coach Tuberville is not a politician,” Whatley explained. “He will help drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. and pass a new law that says if Members of Congress don’t pass a balanced budget, then they don’t get paid! In Alabama, we have to balance our budget every year, and there’s no reason Washington shouldn’t have to as well. As Chairman of the State Senate Agriculture Committee, I know first-hand how important farming is in Alabama. Agriculture is still the number one industry in our state. I am proud that the Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA), Alabama’s largest and most influential grassroots organization, endorsed Coach Tuberville for the United States Senate.”
“Like ALFA, I recognize that our family farms need a strong advocate in Washington to fight for our farming communities, and that’s exactly what Coach Tuberville will do,” he added. “We need Tommy Tuberville in the United States Senate standing up for Alabama in 2020, and I will do all I can to help ensure his victory.”
@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.