Although there is very little public polling available, what is out there shows former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions with a difficult challenge ahead to secure the Republican U.S. Senate nomination for the November general election to face incumbent U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook).
Sessions faces former Auburn head football coach Tommy Tuberville in a race that has shown Sessions trailing by as much as 23 points and as little as six points.
On Tuesday, Sessions appeared on Fox News Channel and got a vote of confidence from an old ally, Tucker Carlson. Carlson, who has become the star of the moment for conservatives, questioned how Tuberville could have a lead given Sessions’ accomplishment and argued that Sessions should have support given his past efforts.
Transcript as follows:
CARLSON: Back when the leadership of the Republican Party pushed in secret to give amnesty to illegal immigrants, and they did, Senator Jeff Sessions stood almost alone in opposing it. He opposed intervening in Syria against a President who saved that country’s Christians. He opposed expanding our totally pointless presence in Afghanistan.
With America’s heritage under attack, Jeff Sessions has stood up against the mob, but right now, he is not being rewarded for it. Tonight, Sessions is in a close runoff race against a former football coach called Tommy Tuberville, who does not share these views and only moved to Alabama two years ago. That runoff is next Tuesday.
Senator Jeff Sessions joins us tonight. Senator, thanks so much for coming on. I asked this question with respect because, sincerely, you’re one of the very few politicians I do respect. You’re up against a guy who’s not as conservative as you are at all. He’s not from Alabama. Why aren’t you crushing him? What’s going on?
JEFF SESSIONS, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Look, it is an important time for America. We are losing this country. We need a voice in Washington. We want to someone who has principles and convictions, the courage to stand up for those convictions, and the ability to advocate those values that Alabama believe in, that I believe in and I’ve been raised with.
And you’re right. My opponent just passed through the state. He hardly knows the state. I know it like the back of my hand. But more importantly, we have to have some warriors in the Congress. And we need some to push our Republicans. Too many of them are hiding out and not speaking out.
I did defeat a billion-dollar program to pass this amnesty bill that was absurd. It would have given amnesty to millions without ending the illegality, and we fought that battle and won it.
CARLSON: I remember.
SESSIONS: I had to fight against the Pacific Trade Agreement. Obama did and won that one, too.
CARLSON: So it seems like you should be rewarded for that. It seems like the people you work for in Washington should revere you. And it seems like the voters in Alabama should support you. I don’t think anyone dislikes you personally. There’s never been an allegation that you’re mean, you’re not or that you have anything untoward in your personal life. So this just — does it frustrate you?
SESSIONS: Well, look, I have pouring in a lot of money from out of state and big PAC money ads that have impacted the race. We’re on the TV now, and we’re aggressive, and we’re going to continue to the last day. My opponent is hiding out. He won’t debate. He won’t even talk to the press.
And you know, if you won’t debate me or defend your values, then something is dangerous here. So that’s the message I’m trying to take to the people of Alabama.
Tommy Tuberville, at age 65, Tucker, had never given any contribution to any candidate. He had never even said he was a Republican. We don’t know this man. He is an empty suit, a nubbin. Somebody that’s really not — he doesn’t have the convictions and the courage to represent us.
Alabama needs to send a very strong voice to Washington. We need to send somebody who can stand up and take the heat, who is not afraid and I’ve done that. They don’t have anything on me. I’m not worried about him one bit, and that even includes my friends in the Republican conference, and we need to fight.
This country is at risk. Law enforcement, as you just talked about, is one of the worst situations ever. It cannot be that we allow law enforcement to be denigrated the way it is today.
CARLSON: It just seems like if we say we believe these things, then we should support politicians, the very rare politicians who stand up for them and you are one of those.
So, Attorney General Sessions, thank you for joining us tonight.
SESSIONS: Thank you.
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly and host of Huntsville’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 2-5 p.m. on WVNN.
