By Samuel Mattison
Alabama Political Reporter
A progressive group endorsed former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones in the U.S. Senate race set for December of this year.
MoveOn is a progressive group based online and has 45,000 members within the state of Alabama. According to a press release from the group, 98 percent of their members voted for Jones’ endorsement.
“Unlike his Republican opponents, who have extremist agendas that will take Alabama back in time, Jones has been a long-standing advocate for health care and working families,” Matt Blizek, elections mobilization director for MoveOn, said. “As U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, he took on white supremacist violence by successfully prosecuting the two members of the Ku Klux Klan responsible for the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing.
“National Democrats should follow Jones’ lead and vigorously contest congressional seats in all parts of the country.”
Other members of MoveOn gave similar sentiments to Jones’ campaign. LaQuinta, a member from Birmingham, said Jones is a “wonderful human being.”
“He stands for justice when others refuse to,” LaQuinta said. “He fought to bring justice to the families of the historic 4 little girls in a time when people said to just forget them and let the old men (the killers) live out their days. I have so much respect for Doug and I know he will do wonders for our state with this position.”
In the past, the group endorsed high-profile senators like Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., for the Senate elections next year.
Jones also received the endorsement of former Vice President Joe Biden, who announced he will come campaign for Jones in October.
While no Democrat has won an Alabama U.S. Senate seat since the 1990s, some polls suggest Jones could be within reach of winning. An Emerson College poll released last week indicates that Jones is in a statistical tie with both Republican candidates.
Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., and former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore will go head-to-head on Tuesday in the Republican runoff. The winner of the contest will face Jones in the December general election.
