Sen. Doug Jones’ (D-AL) campaign is fundraising off of the possibility that Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) might move across the state line into Alabama and challenge him for his Senate seat in 2020.
On Sunday, the Jones campaign tweeted, “Now they’re talking about an out-of-state right-wing opponent moving to Alabama to challenge Doug. We don’t need another divider in Washington. Help Doug today:”
Now they’re talking about an out-of-state right-wing opponent moving to Alabama to challenge Doug. We don’t need another divider in Washington. Help Doug today: https://t.co/nbhSDZVoo9
— Doug Jones HQ (@DougJonesHQ) April 7, 2019
This came after a report surfaced that Gaetz had mentioned that very possibility to colleagues in Washington, D.C.
Alabama law only requires that someone reside in the state for one-day before filing candidacy for congressional races.
Gaetz has since told a Florida publication, “No,” when asked if he would run for the Senate in Alabama.
Episode three of Yellowhammer Podcast Network’s “The Insider” and Yellowhammer News’ Friday edition of Rumors and Rumblings advised that national Democrats were excited about the potential of a Gaetz bid, as it would significantly increase Jones’ re-election chances.
Jones has raised more money from outside of Alabama than he has in the state in total and even raised more from overseas last reporting period than he did in the Yellowhammer State.
He has also previously claimed, “I’m not worried about who’s running in my race in 2020.”
Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01) and former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville are the only announced Republican Senate candidates thus far.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
