Conservative firebrand defeats Trump pick in Alabama primary for U.S. Senate

By Andy Sullivan

 

Republican candidate Roy Moore enters the stage to make his victory speech after defeating incumbent Luther Strange to his supporters at the RSA Activity center in Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. September 26, 2017, during the runoff election for the Republican nomination for Alabama's U.S. Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. REUTERS/Marvin Gentry

 

(Reuters) - Alabama voters elected conservative firebrand Roy Moore as the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump and other party leaders who had argued that rival Luther Strange was a better bet to advance their priorities in Washington.

 

An outspoken evangelical Christian who has twice lost his position as the state's top judge, Moore won election with a fierce anti-Washington message and a call to put religion at the center of public life.

 

"We have to return the knowledge of God and the Constitution of the United States to the United States Congress," he said.

 

With 65 of the state's 67 counties reporting, Moore led Strange by 55 percent to 45 percent.

 

Moore, 70, first lost his seat on the Alabama Supreme Court for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the courthouse and a second time for defying the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage.

 

He is favored in the December election against Democrat Doug Jones to fill the seat that was held by Jeff Sessions before he was tapped in February to serve as U.S. Attorney General. Alabama has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1992.

 

The race exposed rifts between the Republican party's conservative base and its moneyed establishment -- and within Trump's inner circle.

 

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence appeared with Strange at rallies in the race's closest days and a political group affiliated with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell spent close to $9 million on his behalf.

 

Moore, meanwhile, drew support from Trump's former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, and his secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson.

 

Bannon said Moore's victory could embolden other grassroots challengers to try to unseat well-funded Republican incumbents in next year's congressional elections.

 

"You're going to see in state after state people that follow the model of Judge Roy Moore, that do not need to raise money from the elites," he said at Moore's victory party.

 

Strange, 64, a former state attorney general, earned a reputation as a reliable Republican vote after he was appointed to the seat in February.

 

But his close ties to party leaders proved to be a liability with some voters, who questioned whether former Governor Robert Bentley appointed him to Sessions's seat in an attempt to avoid prosecution for a sex scandal. Bentley pleaded guilty to misusing campaign funds and stepped down in April.

 

"It was sort of a 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours,'" said R.L. Barber, 77, a Moore supporter from Birmingham.

 

Moore's uncompromising style could bring a new level of turbulence to the Senate, where Republicans have struggled to reach consensus on tax and spending issues and have failed repeatedly to roll back Obamacare.

But Moore said he would back the president.

 

"Don't let anybody in the press think that because he supported my opponent I do not support him and support his agenda," Moore said.

 

(Additional reporting by Joseph Ax in New York and Wayne Hester in Birmingham, Alabama; editing by Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-27

Great News for President Trump! One less RINO, Republicans in Name Only, and the Conservative Populist Movement!

Trump would have been a winner either way, but great to defeat McConell's Candidate. McConnell's a RINO and a Big Part of the Swamp!

Good news. The trojan horses have arrived to the GOP. 

2 minutes ago, tomwct said:

Great News for President Trump! One less RINO, Republicans in Name Only, and the Conservative Populist Movement!

Trump would have been a winner either way, but great to defeat McConell's Candidate. McConnell's a RINO and a Big Part of the Swamp!

"Trump would have been a winner either way,"

Yes, now he's gotten someone who might have even less respect for facts than does Trump.. Will make Trump look good by comparison. Anybody who thinks i'm being unfair to Moore should read this interview with him.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/9/26/16365774/judge-roy-moore-us-constitution

The man is a loon. Also a judge who twice disobeyed judicial orders.

 

 

1 hour ago, tomwct said:

Great News for President Trump! One less RINO, Republicans in Name Only, and the Conservative Populist Movement!

Trump would have been a winner either way, but great to defeat McConell's Candidate. McConnell's a RINO and a Big Part of the Swamp!

Great new for Trump, which is hwy he actively supported the loser.

2 hours ago, tomwct said:

Great News for President Trump! One less RINO, Republicans in Name Only, and the Conservative Populist Movement!

Trump would have been a winner either way, but great to defeat McConell's Candidate. McConnell's a RINO and a Big Part of the Swamp!

Ummm....Trump's man lost.  Trump campaigned hard for Strange.  Very hard. 

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/22/politics/alabama-senate-trump-visit-roy-moore-luther-strange/index.html

Quote

Trump goes to Alabama to save Luther Strange -- and spare GOP from Roy Moore

 

Here's how loyal Trump is.  NOT!

http://time.com/4958625/donald-trump-deletes-tweets-luther-strange-roy-moore/

Quote

President Trump Has Deleted His Tweets Supporting Luther Strange

 

 

OMG, no! Not this chucklehead. 

Sounds like a real nutcase.

5 hours ago, tomwct said:

Great News for President Trump! One less RINO, Republicans in Name Only, and the Conservative Populist Movement!

Trump would have been a winner either way, but great to defeat McConell's Candidate. McConnell's a RINO and a Big Part of the Swamp!

 

 

Trump backs Strange in Alabama GOP Senate primary

"Mr. Trump endorsed Mr. Strange’s bid months ago, but the visit marks the first time the president will campaign in person with the embattled incumbent, who also is expected to campaign with Vice President Mike Pence on Monday."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/sep/21/donald-trump-backs-luther-strange-in-alabama-gop-s/

Someone needs to tell this guy that in America God left the building some time ago.

that old time religion making a comeback, will be watching with interest

God bless America

3 minutes ago, oldgent said:

God bless America

If he existed, why would he do that?

Trump's recent tweets supporting Luther Strange deleted after projected loss

"President Donald Trump's most recent tweets urging Alabamians to vote for Sen. Luther Strange disappeared from his verified Twitter account Tuesday night, after the candidate was projected to lose the Republican primary runoff for a Senate seat."

 

"Three recent Trump tweets about Strange were deleted Tuesday night, according to ProPublica, which tracks deleted tweets."

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/27/politics/deleted-tweets-trump-luther-strange/index.html

7 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

If he existed, why would he do that?

up to you

Sadly, I think Trump would be delighted with either of these neanderthals.   I see that the politics of George Wallace still reign in Alabama!

Now Trump is deleting his tweets in support of Luther Strange including this one:

"Luther Strange has been shooting up in the Alabama polls since my endorsement. Finish the job - vote today for "Big Luther.""

https://projects.propublica.org/politwoops/user/POTUS

22 hours ago, tomwct said:

Great News for President Trump! One less RINO, Republicans in Name Only, and the Conservative Populist Movement!

Trump would have been a winner either way, but great to defeat McConell's Candidate. McConnell's a RINO and a Big Part of the Swamp!

You consider the election of a racist / homophobe to be a part of draining the swamp?? Really? I mean Trump's pick was pretty bad himself but nothing like this crazed religious zealot.