Trump Urges Roy Moore to Forgo Running for Alabama’s US Senate Seat

Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore speaks about the race against his Democratic opponent Doug Jones is too close and there will be a recount. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

President Donald Trump urged Roy Moore to drop out of the race for one of Alabama’s U.S. Senate seats, saying he “cannot win.”

Trump took to Twitter on May 29 to say he supported Moore during the 2017 special election for the seat but does not for the 2020 election.

“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,” he said.

“I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didn’t, and probably won’t.”

Trump said that if Moore wins and the seat ends up going to a Democrat, the results could be devastating.

“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!” he said.

Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. Moore, 72, a former Alabama Supreme Court Justice, lost to Democrat Doug Jones in the special election to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions when he became the Attorney General.

Moore has not officially announced his intention to run against Jones in 2020 but he shared a post on his own Twitter account late Tuesday that stated, “He’s running and he’s going to win the primary.”

Shortly after Trump issued his missives, Moore wrote: “Ever wonder why the mere mention of my name scares the ‘hell’ out of the Washington DC establishment, liberals, and LGBT? Like Pres Trump, I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do!”

Moore is expected to officially join the race soon.

Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.), who is running for the Republican nomination for the seat, told The Hill on Tuesday that multiple sources have informed him Moore will announce soon.

“People who I believe know what they’re talking about say that Judge Moore intends to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in June. I welcome him to the race,” Byrne said, noting he did not speak to Moore.

The race between Jones and Moore was marred by smears against both parties. In 2018, it was revealed that a secretive project funded by a tech billionaire used disinformation to support Jones while Moore’s run was marred with accusations of sexual assault. After the operation was made public, the state’s attorney general called for a federal probe into the election.

Polls indicate that Jones is one of the most vulnerable Democratic Senators. A recent poll (pdf) of Alabama Republican voters saw Moore beating out others vying for the GOP nomination, including Byrne, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), and Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.). So far, Byrne is the only Republican who was tested in the poll to officially enter the race.

But top Republicans are urging Moore not to run, including Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr.

After Moore said he'd beat Jones if he ran, Trump Jr. responded: “You mean like last time? You’re literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA.”

He added, “Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, it’s time to ride off into the sunset, Judge.”

From NTD News