President Donald Trump renewed his feud with former Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday and endorsed his challenger in the upcoming Alabama Republican Senate primary runoff.
Trump endorsed former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville for the seat, which disgraced former candidate Roy Moore lost to Democrat Doug Jones in 2018 despite Trump’s endorsement after mounting allegations that he preyed on young girls.
“Tommy Tuberville is running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Alabama,” Trump tweeted. “He is a REAL LEADER who will never let MAGA/KAG, or our country down!”
“Tommy will protect your Second Amendment (which is under siege), is strong on Crime and the Border, and truly LOVES our Military and our Vets. He will be a great Senator for the people of Alabama. Coach Tommy Tuberville, a winner, has my Complete and Total Endorsement. I love Alabama!
Trump fired Sessions after complaining for months that he had recused himself from former special counsel Bob Mueller’s investigation.
Sessions tries to make nice:
Sessions responded by trying to appeal to Trump supporters in the deep-red state despite the president’s opposition.
“Of course, President Trump can endorse anyone he chooses for the U.S. Senate election in Alabama,” he tweeted. “But the Constitution expressly empowers the people of Alabama, and only them, to select their Senator. I intend to take my case directly to the people of Alabama.”
“Even before he declared for the presidency, I fought for the principles that Donald Trump so effectively advocated in the campaign and has advanced as President,” he added. “I believed in those principles then, I have always fought for them, and I will continue to do so.”
Polls show Tuberville ahead:
Sessions was a wildly popular senator in the heavily Republican state, which flipped to a Democrat for the first time in decades after Moore lost. But he effectively tied Tuberville in the primary and is trailing in the runoff.
"The survey showed Tuberville with 49% and Sessions at 38%. One interesting nugget included in the polling memo obtained by Yellowhammer News showed Tuberville leading with both Crimson Tide fans (48% to 40%) and Auburn fans (58% to 30%),” Yellowhammer News reported.
