By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Wednesday, the Democratic nominee for Senate Doug Jones reportedly said, “I’m tired of Alabama being an embarrassment around the country.”
Judge Roy Moore for U.S. Senate Campaign Chairman Bill Armistead pounced on that comment.
“Alabama needs a senator in Washington who is proud of this state, someone who will be a strong ambassador for Alabama,” Armistead said. “We don’t need an Obama-like senator who goes on an apology tour for Alabama like President Obama did for America. Doug Jones’ comments are reminiscent of the condescending remarks made by Barack Obama about people who bitterly cling to their guns and religion.”
Suggesting that you are embarrassed by the state you are seeking to represent is politically incorrect; but it is not Jones’ first gaffe.
Jones also said that had he been in the Senate that he doubts that he would have voted to confirm Senator Jeff Sessions (R) as Attorney General. That might be the right thing to say if you are running for Senator of California; but this is Alabama where Sessions is probably the most popular politician in this generation. The last time Sessions ran for re-election the Alabama Democratic Party could not even find a candidate willing to challenge the popular former Alabama Attorney General and his previous re-election campaigns were landslide victories.
One of only two living Alabama Democrat who have defeated a Republican in a state wide race in the last twelve years, Judge Sue Bell Cobb (D) endorsed Sessions for U.S. Attorney General. Judge Cobb said, “We were then as we are now, members of different parties, but always willing to assist each other as we attempted to constantly do the right thing for the people of our beloved State,” Cobb said. “He has always responded when I called; party boundaries were never a consideration or factor in his decision.”
Cobb, unlike Jones, understands that winning a statewide race in Alabama means that some of those loyal Jeff Sessions voters have to vote for you.
Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Cobb is a 2018 candidate for Governor of Alabama.
Then there is the whole abortion issue. Alabama is one of the most Pro-Life states in the country. Well over 60 percent of Alabama voters support either limiting or totally banning abortions in order to protect the lives of the pre-born, especially in the last trimester. If the U.S. Supreme Court would ever remove their protection of the handful of abortion clinics operating in the state of Alabama, polling consistently shows that the people of the state would overwhelmingly support legislation either banning or severely limiting their practices. Not only is Jones openly pro-choice, he embraces that increasingly unpopular position. He recently attended a Planned Parenthood (the largest abortion provider in the United States) function and posted on social media that he was there. “Proud to be with Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels as he accepts Champion of Women’s Health Award from Planned Parenthood,” Jones wrote.
Jones went on MSNBC and said that he opposes any restriction on abortions, even in the ninth month, when the child is clearly viable outside of the womb. Abortion is a huge issue in a Senate race because it is the senator’s job to vote on judicial confirmations. Overturning the controversial Roe v. Wade decision means confirming pro-life jurists.
“Doug Jones is a left-wing extremist who told MSNBC he doesn’t support any restrictions on abortion. He clearly has little in common with the values of most Alabamians – so his disdain for our state is as sincere as his beliefs are extreme,” Armistead said.
Jones defends Obamacare, even though Alabama is the state hit hardest by the landmark legislation. Alabamians have seen their insurance rates soar and their healthcare insurance choices actually decrease since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 was passed and Jones is apparently ok with that bill in place.
To win any statewide race in Alabama means getting a lot of votes from: Pro-Life voters, voters who are unhappy with Obamacare, voters who voted for Jeff Sessions and voters who are proud of being from Alabama. Jones seems oblivious to these facts.
The special general election will be on December 12.
(Original reporting by the Alabama Media Group’s John Sharp and MSNBC’s Chuck Todd contributed to this report.)
