Roy Moore will run for Senate again in the 2020 election.
Moore, who lost his 2017 Senate bid against Democrat Doug Jones amid sexual misconduct allegations involving minors, made his 2020 intentions known in an announcement Thursday afternoon.
“I will run for the United States Senate in 2020,” Moore said, adding: “Can I win? Yes I can win.”
The announcement on Thursday comes despite the protests of both President Donald Trump and one of his sons.
Although Trump publicly backed Moore ahead of his election in December 2017, Trump recently pressed him not to re-enter the national political sphere.
“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. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didn’t, and probably won’t…..” the president wrote in a series of tweets in late May. “…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!”
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. I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didn’t, and probably won’t…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019
…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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019
Trump isn’t alone.
As the Washington Post pointed out, a Moore candidacy has some Republicans fearful of a 2020 win.
“There are a lot of reasons known to you and everybody else,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said, according to the news outlet. “I think Alabama could do better. I think he would be a disrupter. I think we can win that seat back as the Republicans but I won’t support him. I think if Roy Moore’s nominated it would be difficult to hold the seat.”
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