BREAKING: Tommy Tuberville wins Republican Senate primary in Alabama, turning aside Jeff Sessions' bid to reclaim the seat.
FILE - In this March 3, 2020, file photo, Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Tuberville speaks to his supporters at Auburn Oaks Farm in Notasulga, Ala. Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Tuberville face off in Tuesday's Republican primary runoff for Sessions' former Senate seat.
Familiar to Alabamians from his decade as Auburn University’s head football coach, Tuberville is now positioned for a robust challenge against Democratic U.S. Sen. Doug Jones. With Alabama’s strong GOP tilt, the seat is widely viewed as Republicans’ best chance for a pickup as they try to maintain their thin Senate majority amid Trump’s lagging popularity nationally.
But it wasn’t enough to overcome dynamics that Tuberville willingly embraced. Boosted by both Trump’s endorsement and name recognition from his coaching tenure, Tuberville positioned himself as a political outsider and capitalized on the president’s criticisms of Sessions.“Jeff Sessions was a disaster It’s time to send a message to Jeff Sessions that President Trump does not want him or his cronies in the swamp” Tuberville wrote on Twitter.
When he wasn’t defending his loyalty to the president, Sessions tried to focus on his long history in office and questions about Tuberville’s background.Sessions, once Alabama attorney general and a U.S. attorney under President Ronald Reagan, was elected to the Senate in 1996. He was just the second elected Republican senator from Alabama since the end of post-Civil War Reconstruction.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Tommy Tuberville defeats Jeff Sessions in Alabama Republican Senate runoffTommy Tuberville, a first-time political candidate who had the backing of President Donald Trump, defeated former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was seeking to return to the seat he held for 20 years.
Read more »
Seeking comeback, Sessions faces Tuberville in Alabama raceAlabama's Republican voters are deciding whether Jeff Sessions' fallout with Trump becomes a footnote or a punctuation mark in Sessions' lengthly political career.
Read more »
In final days, Alabama Senate race revolves around support from WashingtonThough his name isn’t on the ballot, Pres. Trump is figuring in heavily in the race to replace one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the Senate.
Read more »
Republican Tuberville dashes Sessions' hopes of reclaiming his Senate seatTuberville will take on Doug Jones, Sessions' successor and the most vulnerable Senate Democrat running this year.
Read more »
President Donald Trump erroneously refers to Alabama coach Nick Saban as Lou SabanPresident Donald Trump erroneously referred to Alabama coach Nick Saban as 'Lou Saban' while endorsing ex-Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville for Senate.
Read more »
Jeff Sessions fights for his old Senate seat in Alabama runoffAlabama Republicans vote to determine political future of Jeff Sessions, settling a primary contest for the Senate seat that was upended by President Trump's backing of former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville.
Read more »