Mayor Randall Woodfin backing Joe Biden for president
The mayor of Alabama’s largest city is endorsing Joe Biden for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential nomination just weeks after the vice president met with a group of Southern black mayors representing millions of voters in key early primary states. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said he left that Atlanta meeting in November convinced that Biden is the best choice to defeat President Donald Trump and lead the country. “I think he would view mayors as his partners in the campaign and he would view us as partners in the White House,” Woodfin said. “That’s important to me.” Woodfin’s endorsement, which he is expected to announce on Monday, is the latest amid a scramble among the 2020 candidates to shore up support with mayors. Late 2020 entry Michael Bloomberg — the former mayor of New York whose philanthropy has supported mayors across the country with training and millions of dollars in funding for city initiatives — has secured the backing of eight mayors since entering the field last month, including black mayors in Southern cities with large black populations whose voters could factor into the primary contest. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney endorsed Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in October. Pete Buttigieg is the current mayor of South Bend, Indiana, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker is former mayor of Newark, New Jersey. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is former mayor of Burlington, and ex-Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro is former mayor of San Antonio. Woodfin said the role of mayors as candidates and proxies for candidates this cycle is notable. “As mayors as executives, we have to deal with issues every single day,” Woodfin said. “Regardless of the size of their city, it’s important to to take their candidacies seriously.” Mayors — and particularly black mayors across the South — could play a major role on the early calendar. Alabama is a Super Tuesday state and is one of four Southern states on the ballot March 3, including North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. All have significant black populations. “We can acknowledge that 72 hours after South Carolina is Super Tuesday,” Woodfin said. “Since 1992, whoever wins South Carolina wins a majority of the Southern states. Embedded in that math is people. Black women … are the base of the party, and we must respect that.” Woodfin represents a city with a metro area population of 1.3 million that is 74 percent African American. He was among four black Southern mayors who issued an open letter earlier this year to 2020 Democratic hopefuls seeking their support, calling on them to address priorities including affordable housing, climate change, health care and criminal justice. One of the letter’s signers, Mayor Steve Benjamin of Columbia, South Carolina, was among Bloomberg’s early endorsers. Specifically, Woodfin pointed to Biden’s work on infrastructure under President Barack Obama and his continued support for the Affordable Care Act as reasons for his endorsement. Alabama is among the states that did not expand Medicaid, and Woodfin’s city has the country’s fourth-largest public hospital and a 29 percent poverty rate. Woodfin added that next year’s U.S. Senate race — with embattled Democrat Doug Jones fighting for reelection — and the 2020 fight in legislatures over redistricting could all be helped by a Biden candidacy. “You need somebody at the top of the ticket who can help down ballot candidates and expand the map nationwide,” Woodfin said. “From all the evidence I’ve seen, Vice President Biden gives us the best chance to do that.” Still, Woodfin said it will be important for Democratic mayors to come together after a hard-fought primary to galvanize the electorate in their respective cities to defeat their common enemy. “Speaking with one voice behind one candidate is going to be important,” Woodfin said. “When you think about the different mayors who have endorsed, we all agreed with us writing that letter, that didn’t mean all of us would endorse the same candidate. When the primary’s over, I expect all of us to come together. As mayors, we’re all still in this together. Haines has covered race and politics for The Associated Press since 2015. Follow her work on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/emarvelous. Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, “Ground Game.” Republished with the Permission of the Associated Press.
Young Democrats gather in Birmingham for committee meeting
Young Democrats from across the country are gathering in Alabama this weekend. The Young Democrats of America organization is holding a national committee meeting in Birmingham over the weekend. Josh Coleman, president of the Alabama Young Democrats, said it is the first time Alabama is hosting the event. It is part of an outreach effort into Republican stronghold states traditionally thought of as deeply red, Coleman said. He said the event was a “great kick-off” to the rebuilding of the Alabama Democratic Party. The state party recently changed bylaws to make sure more young voters and other key constituencies are represented on the party’s governing board. Young voters are among those who helped elect Sen. Doug Jones in 2017, Rebecca Pinn, secretary of the Young Democrats of America, said in a statement about the meeting on the group’s website. The meeting began Friday and lasted through Sunday. Republished with the Permission of the Associated Press.
Sheriff John Williams remembered as dedicated peace officer
A slain Alabama sheriff was remembered Monday as a dedicated peace officer who loved serving the people of his county. More than 2,000 mourners filled an auditorium for funeral services for Lowndes County Sheriff John Williams. Williams was shot and killed Nov. 23 at a gas station in the county where he served as sheriff. William Chase Johnson, 18, is charged with murder in the sheriff’s death. Sometimes known as “Big John” for his towering frame, the 62-year-old sheriff was remembered as a selfless law enforcement officer who showed respect to everyone. “He didn’t care if you were rich or poor. He didn’t care if you were black, white, green, purple…. John was going to treat you like family. John was going to do everything in his power to help you,” said Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor, who serves as head of the state sheriffs association. Taylor said Williams was example to follow, both as a man and a law enforcement officer. “When this call for assistance came in, he didn’t pass it to a deputy… he took it himself, just like he had done thousands of times,” Taylor said. Speakers at the services described Williams’ big laugh and bigger heart. They remembered him as a man who freely gave out his cellphone number to folks in his county so they could reach him if they needed, doted on his grandchild and patrolled his county in his truck with a distinctive air raid siren-sounding horn that always let people know he was coming. Williams was elected as sheriff in 2010 after decades working in law enforcement in his home county. Williams’ flag-draped coffin sat at the front of the coliseum that was selected for the funeral because of the expected large crowd. A black wreath was placed on the hood of a sheriff’s truck at the back of the coliseum. Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham said his friend was a “true peace maker.” “He would give you the shirt off his back. He’s a true law enforcement officer,” Cunningham said. “He loved y’all. He loved Lowndes County and he loved being sheriff.” U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said Williams was keeping the peace in Lowndes County “until his last breath.” Republished with the Permission of the Associated Press.
Secretary of State John Merrill exits Senate race
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill suspended his campaign for the U.S. Senate on Sunday, citing former Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ entrance into the crowded Republican race. Merrill announced his decision in a statement posted on his Facebook page. Merrill said he “saw a path to victory” when he entered the race in June, but that Sessions’ decision to join the field last month “dramatically” changed the race to challenge Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in 2020. “With Senator Sessions’ late entry into this race, we have come to realize that a crowded Republican primary only benefits Doug Jones and the out of touch liberal Democrats,” Merrill said in the statement. Others contending for the GOP nomination include former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, state Rep. Arnold Mooney and Roy Moore, the right-wing lightning rod who faced allegations of sexual misconduct and lost to Jones in the 2017 special election. Jones is the only Democrat to hold statewide office in Alabama. The large field has increased the chances that the March 3 GOP primary will head to a runoff if no candidate tops 50 percent of the primary vote. Merrill, who has previously said he considers Sessions one of his heroes, did not make an endorsement in the statement. He said he would continue to serve as Alabama’s secretary of state. Republished with the Permission of the Associated Press.
Roy Moore files lawsuit over ads from 2017 campaign
Republican Roy Moore has filed a lawsuit against people involved with a group that spent millions against him in the 2017 U.S. Senate race. Moore announced the defamation lawsuit Friday. In a press statement, he said it was part of “fraudulent campaign tactics” against him in the 2017 race he lost to Sen. Doug Jones. The political action committee called Highway 31 produced advertisements and mailers focused on accusations against Moore of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls decades ago. Moore denied the accusations. It was disclosed after the election that the PAC received money from Senate Majority PAC, which works to elect Democrats to the U.S. Senate and $910,000 from Priorities USA. The lawsuit names the groups and others as defendants. Moore has filed multiple lawsuits over the misconduct accusations. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Jeff Sessions to announce Alabama Senate bid
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions will announce that he is entering the race for his old U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, two Republicans with direct knowledge of his plans said Wednesday. Sessions, 72, will be making a return to the political stage a year after stepping down as President Donald Trump’s first attorney general when their relationship soured over his recusal from the Russia investigation. The two Republicans confirmed to The Associated Press that Sessions is expected to announce his candidacy Thursday. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. They said Sessions has not spoken to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about it, nor has he informed Trump of his decision. The longtime senator’s candidacy upends the 2020 Republican primary, which has a crowded field competing to challenge Democratic Sen. Doug Jones for the once reliably red seat. Some GOP primary rivals wasted no time going on the offensive. Former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville said Sessions has been “out of the swamp for less than two years, and now he’s itching to go back.” “He’s another career politician that the voters of Alabama will reject. As Attorney General, he failed the President at his point of greatest need,” Tuberville said in a statement. U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, the first Republican to announce a run for the Senate seat, played up his loyalty to Trump when asked about Sessions’ plans to enter the race. “Alabama deserves a Senator who will stand with the President and won’t run away and hide from the fight,” Byrne said in a Wednesday statement. Sessions was the first U.S. senator to endorse Trump’s 2016 campaign, and the two supported similar policies on immigration and law enforcement. But Sessions’ recusal from the Russia inquiry prompted blistering public criticism from Trump, who eventually asked him to resign. Despite enduring repeated public mocking, Sessions has remained a Trump loyalist who continues to back the president’s policies. In a speech last month at a Republican Party fundraiser in Huntsville, Sessions reiterated his support for the president even as he joked about life after being “fired” from a job. Sessions praised Trump’s effort on trade, immigration and foreign policy. “That’s why I supported him and why I still do support him,” Sessions told the crowd of about 500. “He is relentlessly and actually honoring the promises he made to the American people.” Sessions, for years a popular figure among state Republicans, represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2017. He will enter the race as a presumed front-runner, but the effect of Trump’s online and verbal lashings has yet to be seen in Alabama, where the president remains popular. In June, Trump called his selection of Sessions as attorney general his “biggest mistake.” “I would say if I had one do-over, it would be, I would not have appointed Jeff Sessions to be attorney general,” Trump said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” One of the Republicans who spoke anonymously to the AP sees no indication that Trump has changed his feelings about Sessions and thinks he’ll eventually fall back because of the president’s attacks. But David Hughes, a political scientist at Auburn University at Montgomery, said there is no reason to think Sessions wouldn’t immediately be a front-runner. “He has a baked-in constituency. He has a huge donor network. … He’s got name recognition and the people of Alabama still largely like him,” Hughes said. In Alabama, midterm voters gave mixed assessments of their former senator. About as many said they had a favorable opinion of Sessions as unfavorable, 45 percent to 42 percent, according to AP VoteCast, a midterm survey of more than 750 voters in Alabama. Democratic voters were overwhelming negative, with 75 percent saying they view Sessions unfavorably. Even among Republican voters, about a quarter said they had a negative impressions; about two-thirds rated Sessions favorably. The Republican primary also includes Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill; former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who lost to Jones in a special election two years ago; state Rep. Arnold Mooney; and businessman Stanley Adair. By Brian Slodsko and Kim Chandler. Chandler reported from Montgomery, Ala. Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Washington. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Representative Chris England elected new Alabama Democratic chair; infighting continues
An Alabama state representative was elected chair of the Alabama Democratic Party on Saturday after months of in-house bickering about the party’s leadership. But the election may not settle the ongoing battle between two factions of the party over governance and leadership, as the previously elected chair said she would not step down. Rep. Christopher England, of Tuscaloosa, received 104 of 171 ballots cast at the meeting of the State Democratic Executive Committee, the state party’s governing body, The Montgomery Advertiser reported. “Elected officials had to stand in the gap and create the platform the party did not have,” England said before the vote. “You’ve seen me stand for the issues that matter to us.” The vote came after the approximately 175 members of the SDEC voted 172 to 0 to remove Chair Nancy Worley and Vice-Chair Randy Kelley. After the vote, Worley said she was reelected in 2018 and she intends to continue leading the party. “The true SDEC members did not elect two new officers in our places today,” Worley said in a statement. “Randy and I look forward to continuing our leadership roles.” But the meeting represented a win for a group of Democrats opposed to Worley, who has chaired the state Democratic Party since 2013, and the Democratic National Committee, which ordered the state party in February to hold new elections and revise its bylaws to provide greater diversity on the SDEC. England, 43, a city attorney for Tuscaloosa, has served in the Alabama Legislature since 2006. He has been at the forefront of attempts to change the leadership and direction of the party and pledged before the vote to work to “leave no stone unturned” in rebuilding the party. He promised to rebuild local county organizations and staff up the state party. “As we kick the old folks out, the new folks are coming in,” he said. “We want to seize on that energy. We’re going to raise money, money like you’ve never seen.” Former Rep. Patricia Todd, Democrat-Birmingham, was elected vice-chair. Worley has previously accused the DNC of sending contradictory instructions and of trying to dilute the strength of African American voters in the party. The DNC said Worley missed deadlines and was nonresponsive to instructions. Without the orders implemented, the DNC refused to ratify the state’s delegate selection plan and warned that inaction by the state party could prevent Alabama from being seated at next year’s Democratic National Convention. That would effectively invalidate votes cast in next March’s Democratic presidential primary. A group of SDEC members, backed by U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, drafted a new set of bylaws that were approved by the DNC in September. The members then got a majority of the SDEC to vote to hold a meeting to ratify those bylaws on Oct. 5. At that meeting, the members set leadership elections for Nov. 2. Worley proceeded with her own meeting on Oct. 12, which ratified a second set of bylaws — not approved by the DNC — and set elections for Nov. 16. On Wednesday, Worley and Kelly sued to stop the meeting of the Democrats. Montgomery Circuit Judge Greg Griffin blocked the meeting in a decision late Friday, ruling that it would cause “chaos and confusion.” But the Alabama Supreme Court stayed the order about two hours later, allowing the gathering to proceed. The new party bylaws preserve the Minority Caucus to nominate African Americans to the SDEC. But they also create new caucuses to nominate Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, LGBTQ individuals, youth and those with disabilities. Approximately 68 people were seated from the youth, Hispanic, Native American and Asian/Pacific Islander caucuses on Saturday. Information from: Montgomery Advertiser, https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
As Jeff Sessions considers campaign, rivals emphasize Donald Trump feud
As Jeff Sessions explores a campaign to reclaim the Senate seat he held for 20 years, he’s finding much has changed since he left — namely, President Donald Trump.His potential Republican primary rivals said Tuesday that they would not clear the field for the former senator and signaled they were ready to use his tumultuous tenure as Trump’s attorney general against him. Trump has called Sessions “the biggest mistake” of his presidency and some candidates for the Senate seat have suggested they would not let voters forget it. Former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville said in a statement that Sessions “had a chance to stand and defend the President and he failed.” “If the voters of Alabama want a career politician as their next U.S. Senator, then they have plenty of choices. If they want a political outsider who will stand with President Trump and fight the DC establishment when it matters the most, then I am the only choice,” Tuberville said. The Associated Press reported Monday that multiple Republican sources say Sessions is making calls exploring a possible run for his former Senate seat. The three Republicans spoke on condition of anonymity so they could speak more freely about closely held conversations. Sessions represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2017 and left the Senate to become Trump’s first attorney general. He was later ousted after enduring repeated public mocking from Trump for recusing himself from special counsel Robert Mueller‘s Russia investigation. In a state where the president is largely beloved, the bitter breakup between Sessions and the president could be a liability. U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne told the AP that he will “absolutely” stay in the race if Sessions becomes a candidate. “The president does not want him to be the U.S. senator for Alabama. I know,” Byrne said. Asked if he has talked to Trump about this, Byrne replied: “I know. And I don’t think a state like Alabama that’s so pro-President Trump is going to react favorably to someone who’s running as the president’s opposition.” Byrne said he spoke to Sessions last week for less than 10 minutes but declined to disclose the subject of the private conversation. Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who lost the 2017 special election to Sen. Doug Jones, said he will stay in the 2020 race regardless of what Sessions decides. Despite the criticism from Trump, Sessions has continued to praise the president. In a speech earlier this month at a Republican Party fundraiser in Huntsville, Sessions reiterated his support for Trump even as he joked about life after being “fired” from a job. Sessions praised Trump’s effort on trade, immigration and foreign policy. “That’s why I supported him and why I still do support him,” Sessions told the crowd of about 500. “He is relentlessly and actually honoring the promises he made to the American people.” Sessions has $2.4 million in a campaign account, according to campaign finance records. Byrne, the best-financed Republican in the race, has about $2.5 million cash on hand.Sessions, who was state attorney general before being elected to the Senate, also has more than two decades of support from Alabama voters. “I suspect Sessions would become an immediate front-runner if he were to enter the race,” said David Hughes, a political scientist at Auburn University in Montgomery.“We know from past experience in the 2017 U.S. Senate special primary that Republican voters are willing to buck the president’s preferences. And Sessions has done little to distance himself from Trump. I have no a priori reason to believe state Republicans have turned on Sessions,” Hughes said. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
AP sources: Jeff Sessions exploring possible Alabama Senate run
Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is exploring the possibility of a run for his old Senate seat in Alabama, according to three Republicans with knowledge of the situation. They say Sessions has made telephone calls discussing a potential bid to return to the Senate. The Republicans spoke on condition of anonymity so they could speak more freely about closely held conversations. It was not immediately clear how close Sessions was to making a decision or the seriousness of the exploration. He has until 5 p.m. Nov. 8 to decide whether to be a last-minute entry into the 2020 race. The Alabama Republican Party sets the deadline. Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat, won the 2017 special election to fill Sessions’ seat by defeating Republican Roy Moore. Republicans see recapturing the seat in the once reliably red state as a top priority in 2020. Sessions’ entry into the race would upend an already competitive primary that includes U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, Moore and others. Sessions was a beloved figure among state Republicans after serving in the Senate for 20 years. But a new campaign would face the impact of a soured relationship with President Donald Trump. Sessions left the Senate to become Trump’s first attorney general. He was ousted after enduring repeated public mocking from Trump for recusing himself from special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. An unknown factor is how Trump’s bashing would affect a Sessions campaign, particularly if the president’s criticism continued through a Senate race. Trump in June called his selection of Sessions as attorney general his “biggest mistake.” “I would say if I had one do-over, it would be, I would not have appointed Jeff Sessions to be attorney general,” Trump said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Trump won 62 percent of the vote in Alabama in 2016. “I suspect Sessions would become an immediate front-runner if he were to enter the race,” said David Hughes, a political scientist at Auburn University in Montgomery. Hughes noted that Alabama voters picked Moore over a Trump-backed primary candidate in 2017 and that “Sessions has done little to distance himself from Trump.” In a telephone interview Monday night, Merrill said, “Obviously, if he became a candidate, that would change the dynamic of the race dramatically.” Merrill said he and others would have to decide what course of action their campaigns would take if Sessions entered the race. Sessions received a standing ovation when he spoke at a party fundraiser earlier this month in which he reiterated his support for Trump. “He is relentlessly and actually honoring the promises he made to the American people,” Sessions said in the speech at Huntsville. Sessions did not mention the Senate race but criticized Democrats as the party that sees “more government” as the answer. He said he believes Republicans could achieve historic congressional majorities in 2020, but he cautioned that they must show they are responding to the concerns of average Americans. Alan Fram reported from Washington. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Donald Trump likens House impeachment inquiry to ‘a lynching’
President Donald Trump enraged Democrats on Tuesday by comparing their impeachment inquiry to a lynching, assigning the horrors of a deadly and racist chapter in U.S. history to a process laid out in the Constitution. “That is one word no president ought to apply to himself,” said Democratic Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest-ranking African American in Congress. “That is a word that we ought to be very, very careful about using” he said. Rep. Bobby Rush, Democrat-Illinois, called on Trump to delete the tweet. “Do you know how many people who look like me have been lynched, since the inception of this country, by people who look like you. Delete this tweet,” wrote Rush, who is also black. Sen. Doug Jones, Democrat-Alabama, tweeted to Trump: “No sir! No, @realDonaldTrump: this is NOT a lynching, and shame on you for invoking such a horrific act that was used as a weapon to terrorize and murder African Americans.” Republicans legislators largely tried to put the focus on what they said was the unfair way in which Democrats are conducting the impeachment inquirySen. Lindsey Graham, Republican-South Carolina, said Trump’s description was “pretty well accurate.” He called the impeachment effort a “sham” and a “joke” because the president does not know the identity of his accuser, and the process is playing out in private. Lynchings, or hangings, were used mostly by whites against black men in the South, beginning in the late 19th century amid rising racial tensions. By comparing his possible impeachment to a lynching, Trump also likened Democrats to a lynch mob. Under pressure over impeachment, blowback over his Syria policy and other issues, the Republican president tweeted Tuesday: “So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights. “All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here — a lynching. But we will WIN!” Trump has a habit of trying to portray himself as the victim. His tweet came a day after he lashed out at critics of his decision — since rescinded — to schedule a major international economic summit for 2020 at one of his Florida golf properties. During remarks Monday, he lamented people who invoke the “phony emoluments clause.” The clause is in the Constitution and bans presidents from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments, without the consent of Congress. Impeachment and its process are also in the Constitution. A whistleblower’s complaint that Trump was attempting to use his office for personal political gain during a July 25 phone conversation with Ukraine’s president led House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to open the impeachment inquiry. Trump insists he did nothing wrong. He has characterized the conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as “perfect” and argues that sore-loser Democrats are still trying to overturn the 2016 election that put him in the White House and keep him from winning a second term next year. Lynchings were fueled by anger toward blacks across the South, where many whites blamed their financial problems on newly freed slaves living around them, the NAACP n By Darlene Superville Associated Press Notes. Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Doug Jones leads fundraising in senate race
U.S. Senator Doug Jones of Alabama continues to lead in fundraising as he heads to a tough reelection fight. The Deep South Democrat raised $2 million last quarter, more than all the GOP primary candidates combined, according to the latest campaign fundraising reports. He has a campaign balance of $5 million. Jones won the 2017 special election to fill the Senate seat that belonged to Jeff Sessions. Now sometimes referred to as the Senate’s most endangered Democrat, he is facing a tough reelection battle in 2020, but fundraising numbers suggest he will be well-armed financially for the fight. A crowded GOP primary field is competing for the right to challenge Jones. Republican U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne leads in overall fundraising with $2.5 million cash on hand. Byrne raised $408,000 in two separate accounts last quarter. Former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville has $1.4 million on hand after raising $373,000 last quarter. Secretary of State John Merrill has $738,429 on hand after raising $378,020 last quarter and taking out a $250,000 loan. Legislator Arnold Mooney raised $242,738 last quarter. Businessman Stanley Adair raised $148.882 and loaned his campaign another $4,500 in the same time period. Former Chief Justice Roy Moore, who lost to Jones two years ago, is lagging most of the GOP field in cash. He has raised less than $100,000 total for his latest Senate bid. Moore ran for the Senate seat in 2017 but lost the special election after several women accused him of sexual misconduct. He denied the accusations. Other candidates in the race reported raising less than $10,000. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Democratic Senator Doug Jones in a bind on impeachment
U.S. Sen. Doug Jones walked into a recent town hall and declared he was ready for whatever his constituents wanted to throw at him. But first, he wanted to address the biggest news from Washington: The House impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. “I’m not making a judgment about where we are on any of this because it’s too early,” Jones said, not waiting to be asked. He noted his potential role as a juror if the issue lands in the Senate. Already considered the Senate’s most endangered Democrat, the senator is facing the uncomfortable possibility of having to vote on removing the president from office while running for reelection in a state where Trump won 62 percent of the vote. Whatever Jones decides, if it comes to that, he’s going to make lots of Alabamians mad. Just the prospect of an impeachment trial and vote is throwing partisan accelerant on a race Jones had wanted focused on safer, bipartisan economic issues. “It’s another drum for (Republicans) to beat in a very red state,” said political scientist Glen Browder, a former Democratic congressman who was part of the moderate Blue Dog coalition. Jones won his seat in a 2017 special election after his opponent, Roy Moore, was accused of sexual misconduct. Republicans consider his victory a one-off and have been eager to take the seat back. The key, they believe, is to make sure Alabama voters remember Jones’ party affiliation. Republicans made clear Tuesday that they see impeachment as an opportunity. “We are all watching and will hold him accountable if he joins his party trying to upend our constitution,” Alabama Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan said Tuesday in a news conference called to needle Jones on impeachment, one of several Republicans held around the country aimed at Democrats in Trump territory. “Alabamians love President Trump and they love a fighter.” To be sure, Jones is not alone in feeling pressure. If the Democratically led House votes to impeach Trump, forcing a trial in the Senate, a vote on whether to convict will be a moment of truth for senators from both parties. Republicans in tough races, like Cory Gardner, Susan Collins and Thom Tillis, will also be forced to make a decision certain to be viewed as picking a side. The fiercely partisan climate has left little middle ground. But few of his colleagues face the hurdles that Jones does. He is the only Democrat elected to a statewide seat, winning his 2017 race by about mere 22,000 votes out of 1.3 million cast. While much of the country saw blue surges in the 2018, Democrats running statewide in Alabama topped out at about 40 percent of the vote. Jones has been preparing to run as a moderate emphasizing issues that cut across party lines — health care, such as the disappearance of rural hospitals in the state, and agriculture. He’s focused on economic issues of concern to some traditional Republican voters, cautioning about how tariffs are threatening the state’s aerospace industry, automobile workers and farmers. “The record I want to emphasize to folks is that I am there for them,” Jones said in an interview last month. “I am not there for a president. I am not there for any of the Democrats. I am there for the people of this state.” An impeachment trial in the Senate would make it harder to keep that focus away from the partisan warfare. “It’s really going to suck all the air out of the room. Good luck trying to have a substantive debate on health insurance…. especially if you’re getting these televised hearings in the House or a trial in a Senate,” said David Hughes, a political scientist at Auburn University in Montgomery. As the impeachment battle lines have been drawn, Jones has tried to cast himself as above the fray. He dismissed Republicans Tuesday for staging a “political stunt” about such a “serious” matter. “As a U.S. senator, it is my obligation to weigh all the facts fairly before making a decision, and we don’t have all the facts yet,” Jones said, breaking from many Democrats who believe that the loose transcript of a phone call and a whistleblower report, both already public, prove Trump abused his power by asking a foreign leader for a political favor. “What I have seen so far raises legitimate concern for our national security and there appears to be evidence of abuse of power. I hope for the sake of our country that we can find the truth together,” Jones said. Jones’ political risk on impeachment includes creating an issue to drive GOP turnout. A vote in favor of Trump could also be distasteful to the Democratic base and donors that provided the strong support to propel him to victory in 2017. “I think it’s a damned if you do and damned if you don’t kind of deal,” Hughes said. But Hughes downplayed the political risk to Jones because he likely wouldn’t be getting the votes of “die-hard” Trump supporters anyway. Zac McCrary, a pollster and former communications director for the Alabama Democratic Party, said he thought the risk of an acquittal vote would be minimal, saying it would be hard to see Alabama Democrats abandoning their sole successful candidate. A crowded Republican primary field is jockeying for the right to challenge Jones in 2020, including Moore, former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, Secretary of State John Merrill, legislator Arnold Mooney and businessman Stanley Adair. Pharmacist Steve Crainich, a 55-year-old lifelong Republican, says he’s undecided about whether he’ll vote for Jones. He was among those who crossed party lines, angering some in his family, when he helped start a Republicans for Doug Jones Facebook group in 2017 because he couldn’t support Moore. A Trump voter, Crainich said he’s looking for more information on whether the president should be impeached and removed from office. But like Jones, he has concerns about Trump’s actions. “The things that he’s done
