MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange is the latest to express his desire for Sen. Jeff Sessions’ Senate seat, albeit in a different way than those preceding him. Although Strange said he would take the appointment to the U.S. Senate should Gov. Bentley (R-Ala.) select him, he told The Weekly Standard that he plans to run for the seat outright in the 2018 midterm special election.
While he is excited at the prospect of representing Alabama in the Senate, he noted that now is the time to focus on the honor bestowed upon Jeff Sessions, the likely next Attorney General of the United States. “I think this is the right thing for me to do,” he told TWS. “There will be a time to decide who will try to fill those shoes, but that is for another day. Today is about Jeff Sessions, the legacy he leaves behind, and the good work for our country we know he is yet to achieve.”
Strange has served as Alabama’s AG since 2011, and he received his B.A. and J.D. from Tulane University. During the past five years, Strange’s office has challenged the Obama Administration on EPA regulations, immigration enforcement, and the President’s transgender directive. He also worked to shut down highly popular fantasy sports sites in the state such as DraftKings and FanDuel by claiming the activities constitute gambling under state law and are therefore illegal.
Several other Alabama public officials have thrown their hat into the ring to claim Sessions’ seat. Three members of Alabama’s Congressional Delegation – Mo Brooks (R-AL5), Robert Aderholt (R-AL4), and Bradley Byrne (R-AL1) – have expressly declared that they would like to fill the vacancy.
