Analysis
Former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville on Tuesday defeated former Attorney General Jeff Sessions in Alabama’s Republican Senate primary.
Alabama Democrats, who won a narrow special election in 2017 to replace Sessions, wasted no time attacking Tuberville where he’s most vulnerable: Football.
In a string of tweets, the Alabama Democrats Twitter account went all-in on Tuberville’s record of his time at Auburn—both for losing games and lax discipline toward players accused of sexual assault.
“You, scared of your own shadow: ‘Can an incumbent Democratic Senator win a red state?’ Us, ready to storm hell with a super-soaker: ‘Tuberville couldn’t score a TD for 2 weeks with 4 first rounders on his offense. He also lost to Vanderbilt.’ #OneAlabama,” said one tweet.
“Sen. [Doug] Jones got justice for four little girls murdered during church by the Klan. Tommy Tuberville thought a one-game suspension was enough when one of his players raped a little girl. Which one cares more about your daughter’s future?” said another.
The account also went after Tuberville’s performance in the biggest game in the state, the annual Iron Bowl between Auburn and the University of Alabama.
“He lost his last Iron Bowl 36-0, collects millions of dollars in pension money from hard-working Alabamians, and bilked investors based on their trust in his investment advice,” the Alabama Democrats wrote. “Tubs, Doug’s gonna run through you like Fred Talley at an 11AM Jefferson-Pilot game.”
The attacks received high praise online.
In Alabama, issues (probably) matter. But there’s nothing more important than football.
If Democrats can paint Tuberville as a turncoat loser who couldn’t win a big game, well, that might just be their most effective argument.
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