MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — President Donald Trump made a last-minute attempt to end the comeback hopes of his former attorney general, Jeff Sessions, ahead of Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff, promising that former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville would have a direct line to the Oval Office if elected senator.
No crossover voting is allowed in Alabama’s party primaries, so this election — the first to be held in the state since the coronavirus pandemic began — could provide a clear view into the extent of Trump’s influence among Republicans. Polls will be open until 7 p.m.
A voting precinct at a church in Montgomery County had a sign posted requiring face masks to vote, and every person who entered over an hourlong period after lunch wore one, along with poll workers. People were spaced out in a short line to pick up ballots.
Trump has cast a long shadow over the Alabama Senate race, backing the political newcomer after turning decisively against his former Cabinet member. Sessions held the seat safely for 20 years before resigning to lead Trump’s Justice Department. He was forced out of the position when their relationship soured over his recusal in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Trump called Tuberville supporters Monday night. Trump said his appointment of Sessions was a mistake and that “I will tell you that Tommy Tuberville is going to do a job like you haven’t seen.”
“He’s going to have a cold, direct line into my office. That I can tell you,” Trump said in the call.
Sessions hopes his long relationship with state Republicans will carry him through. He was the first U.S. senator to endorse Trump in 2016, and their alliance was solidified as Trump adopted hard-line immigration proposals that Sessions had championed for years in the Senate.
“Stand with me. We″ll make Alabama proud. We’ll have a strong voice in Washington to advance our values and protect the interest of our state,”′ Sessions said Tuesday morning.
“I have a record. My opponent, we don’t know about him. He didn’t even say he was a Republican before he announced for this race. ... He never supported Donald Trump in any way in this past campaign.”
Sessions said in campaign appearances that he had no choice but to recuse himself, because he had participated in Trump’s 2016 campaign and could have been a subject or witness.
Tuberville has mounted a strong challenge to Sessions, armed with both Trump’s endorsement and name recognition from his years on the Auburn University sidelines. He led Sessions by about 2 percentage points in the March primary before picking up Trump’s endorsement.