By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Tuesday, August 15, 2017, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore (R) received the most votes in the Republican Primary. He was followed by Senator Luther Strange (R) who had the poorest performance by any sitting Republican Senator in a Republican Primary since 1962.
Chief Justice Moore said, “This has been a wonderful victory. I want to thank every one of you for what you have done and what you will do. This is a great victory.” Moore said that the, “Efforts by silk stocking elitists in Washington to control the people of Alabama,” had failed.
Moore said that he would extend a hand of friendship to the seven Republicans who did not qualify for the GOP primary runoff. “I invite them to join with me to defeat the forces of Mitch McConnell and the Washington crowd who have spent millions of dollars to thwart the will of the people of Alabama.”
Moore said, “We worked this campaign with 1/16 of the money.” We also have to thank Him without whom this would not be possible and this is Almighty God. “We need to go back to the recognition that God’s hand is still on this country. We must be good again before we can be great again and we can not be good again without God.”
Judge Moore continued, “The People of Alabama hasve sent a powerful message here today….We need to repeal Obamacare….We have got to stop letting our country be ruled by judges on the Supreme Court, and not by the Constitution. We need to do some drastic things not just changing a tax bracket or two; but moving from income based taxes to consumption based taxes. We need to get rid of the IRS. We need to bring business back to this country by cutting regulations and cutting taxes. We need to revoke unfair trade agreements. We need to return prayer and the recognition of God back to our public areas.”
Moore said, “I am running to make a difference in Washington and those people in Washington are running scared.” Congressman Mo Brooks ran an ethical campaign and suffered the most early on from attacks. “If the Republican Party will not stand for ethical conduct, who will? Not only did they attack me, they attacked my wife and the foundation that we worked so hard to create. Over $1.2 million was spent last week on negative ads.”
Judge Moore warned that in the next six weeks, “They are going to present the most negative campaign ads in the history of campaign ads.”
Chief Justice Moore said, “I would like to thank Chairman Bill Armistead for all the work he has done. I would like to thank my Campaign Manager Rich Hobson. This is the strongest campaign I have ever had; but remember all the glory goes to God.” Moore also thanked his strategists and all the many volunteers who made this victory possible for what they have done and for what they are going to do. “Two of them were young ladies, Hannah and Maggie Ford. My friend, Dean Young talked to me about running for this early on. Thank you Dean.”
The Alabama Political Reporter (APR) asked Moore Campaign Chairman and former Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead if all of the millions of dollars spent on negative ads that were pumped into the state were responsible in part for depressing the turn out?
Chairman Armistead said, “People are sick and tired of all the negative ads.”
As of press time former Chief Justice Roy Moore had 157,794 votes (39.5 percent), Senator Luther Strange had just 128,297 (32.2 percent), Congressman Mo Brooks had 78,527 votes (19.7 percent),state Senator Trip Pittman had 27,447 votes (6.9 percent), Dr. Randy Brinson had 2,485 votes (.6 percent), Mary Maxwell had 1,478 votes (.4 percent), Bryan Peeples 1,441 (.4 percent), Dr. James Beretta had 292 votes (.23 percent), Joe Breault had 226 votes (.06 percent), while Dom Gentile who dropped out in the middle of the campaign due to his wife’s cancer diagnosis still received 262 votes (.07 percent).
Roy Moore received the most votes in 60 of Alabama’s 67 Counties. Luther Strange, who is from Homewood, was the highest vote getter in his home area of Jefferson and Shelby Counties. Strange also carried Sumter, Hale, and Baldwin Counties. Congressman Mo Brooks received the most votes in his home area of Madison and Limestone Counties.
Senator Luther Strange was endorsed by both President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky). 67.8 percent of Alabama voters were unimpressed by those endorsements and the estimated $6 million that outside PACs poured into the Primary on Strange’s behalf.
The Republican Primary runoff will be on September 26.
The winner of the Republican Primary will face former US Attorney Doug Jones (D), who won the Democratic Primary today, on December 12, 2017.
