President Donald Trump is to hold a rally for Tommy Tuberville, who’s running against former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, bidding for his old Senate seat back.
Trump is expected to hold the rally at the Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile days before the July 14 Republican runoff, according to CNN, which cited two sources familiar with the plans.
Trump has thrown his support toward the former Auburn football coach and has been publicly criticizing Sessions for many months after Sessions recused himself from the investigation into the 2016 presidential election.
Sessions on Monday responded in tweets to the news that Trump plans a rally in his hometown of Mobile.
“The people of Alabama will not be told who to vote for by anyone in Washington. As recent experience demonstrates, in Alabama we make our own decisions on who will represent us in the US Senate. It’s always a good day when the President of the United States visits Alabama,” Sessions tweeted. “That said, Alabama will vote solidly for @realDonaldTrump this fall, so his time would be far better spent in swing states he must win to be reelected.”
“I know your anger, but recusal was required by law,” Sessions tweeted to Trump in May. “I did my duty & you’re damn fortunate I did. It protected the rule of law & resulted in your exoneration. Your personal feelings don’t dictate who Alabama picks as their senator, the people of Alabama do.”
Tuberville joined Trump in Dallas, Texas last week, flying in Air Force One, and has voiced support for Tuberville on Twitter, writing that the former coach is the “true supporter of our #MAGA agenda!”
A poll conducted by the Sessions campaign in late May shows Sessions trailing Tuberville 43 percent to 49 percent among likely Repubican voters, closing a gap between the two that previous polling had Tuberville beating Sessions by 23 points.
