Alabama Senate Race Could Pit Jeff Sessions Against Roy Moore

Roy Moore

Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is back and running for U.S. Senate - again.

And the Republican Party is not happy. Even Donald Trump, who like Moore has his own issues with allegations of sexual misconduct, is against another Moore candidacy.

Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama. This time it will be for Six Years, not just Two. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didn’t, and probably won’t.....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019

...If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating....Judges and Supreme Court Justices!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019

This is pure fake news. I can assure everyone that by running, Roy Moore is going against my father and he’s doing a disservice to all conservatives across the country in the process. https://t.co/pjfDKfoIO0

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 20, 2019

But Moore told NBC News on Friday, "I think the president's being influenced by other people up there — the establishment."

Multiple other Republican candidates have announced their own bids for the state’s Republican nomination to take on Jones in 2020. Moore told NBC News: "If people want them, they'll elect them. But I have a strong base here. And they'll elect me."

He said the potential addition of Jeff Sessions, who served as senator from Alabama prior to being tapped as Trump's first attorney general, would not lead him to exit the race.

"I don’t step aside for anybody when I’m running," Moore said, adding: "I love Jeff Sessions. He’s a friend. I respect him. If he wants to get in the race, let him get in the race. I don’t have any problem with it."

Republicans are promising to do everything they can to obliterate Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate primaryhttps://t.co/DQWznA0vpi

— POLITICO (@politico) June 20, 2019

Retweeting this as Roy Moore announces he’s running for the Senate. Twice removed as Alabama’s Chief Justice for failing to follow the law & with a history of sexual misconduct toward minors, he will be the GOP’s front runner (at least until we hear if Sessions will get in.) https://t.co/zSsjS6KY3y

— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) June 20, 2019