Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth has endorsed former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville for U.S. Senate. Ainsworth cited the candidate’s outsider status, support for President Donald Trump and deep commitment to conservative issues as reasons for the decision to endorse the Coach in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate.
“I know Coach Tuberville is a deeply committed Christian conservative who is running for the Senate because of a desire to serve others and not because he is a career politician,” Ainsworth said. “Like me, Coach Tuberville is believer in pro-life, pro-gun, and pro-family issues, and anyone who has seen him stalk a sideline knows he will be the tough fighter that Alabama needs in the U.S. Senate.”
“Coach Tuberville understands that our country must reclaim manufacturing jobs from China and bring them back home so American workers can make homegrown products,” Ainsworth said. “And the fact that he has promised to donate his full Senate salary to charities and organizations that serve military veterans shows that he is a patriot who wants to give back to those who have given so much to our nation.”
As lieutenant governor, Ainsworth has launched a major workforce development initiative and heads the commission to protect Alabama’s military bases from closure. He noted that Tuberville has also been outspoken about the need to expand vocational training, preserve Alabama’s military infrastructure, and keep the promises our nation has made to its servicemen, servicewomen, and veterans.
Ainsworth added that President Donald J. Trump’s (R) endorsement of the the retired football coach in March influenced his decision to endorse Tuberville.
Ainsworth is a former legislator, former youth pastor and a current small business owner in Guntersville. Ainsworth ran for lieutenant governor in 2018 and received the most votes of any candidate for constitutional office on the general election ballot. Ainsworth is an Auburn University graduate.
Tuberville was endorsed by Alabama Republican Executive Committee member former State Rep. Perry O. Hooper Jr. on Thursday.
Tuberville is running against former Sen. Jeff Sessions. The winner of the Republican nomination will face incumbent Sen. Doug Jones (D-Alabama). Defeating Doug Jones is considered critical for Republicans to hold onto control of the Senate, in a year where a number of Republican seats appear vulnerable at this point.
