Roy Moore has responded to President Donald Trump saying the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice should not run for the U.S. Senate again in 2020, with Moore asserting that Trump cannot fulfill his goal to “Make America Great Again,” also coined as “MAGA.”
This came after a pair of Wednesday morning tweets from Trump, with the president emphasizing, “Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating….Judges and Supreme Court Justices!”
Moore afterward tweeted, “Ever wonder why the mere mention of my name scares the ‘hell’ out of the Washington DC establishment, liberals, and LGBT?”
“Like Pres Trump I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do!” he concluded.
Ever wonder why the mere mention of my name scares the “hell” out of the Washington DC establishment, liberals, and LGBT?
Like Pres Trump I want to see America great again, but that is a job only God can do!— Judge Roy Moore (@RealJudgeMoore) May 29, 2019
While Moore alleged that “liberals” are scared of his potential candidacy, it is actually conservatives who are terrified he could once again lose to now-Senator Doug Jones (D-AL). Democrats view a Moore-Jones rematch as their best chance of retaking the Senate, making Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) the majority leader.
He can’t #ALSEN https://t.co/TVZJsV0djK
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) May 29, 2019
Trump a short time earlier on Wednesday tweeted, “Republicans cannot allow themselves to again lose the Senate seat in the Great State of Alabama.”
The president warned a Moore candidacy could result in “many of the incredible gains” made under his presidency being “lost, including our Pro-Life victories.”
…If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating….Judges and Supreme Court Justices!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019
This came after reports surfaced on Tuesday that Moore is considering running for the United States Senate again in 2020, which prompted a response that day from Donald Trump, Jr.
Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01) reportedly told The Hill, “I think people are very concerned that we Republicans lost a U.S. Senate seat because [Moore] was our nominee in 2017 and we don’t need to do that again.”
This led Moore to tweet out that article by The Hill, commenting, “What is Bradley so worried about?”
In a follow-up tweet, Moore asserted of Byrne, “He knows that if I run I will beat Doug Jones.”
This second Moore tweet led to the direct retort from Trump, Jr.
You mean like last time? You’re literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA. Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, it’s time to ride off into the sunset, Judge. https://t.co/Twg9isFRkY
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 28, 2019
Byrne, former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville and State Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs) are the formally announced Republican candidates challenging Jones in 2020 thus far while Secretary of State John Merrill and State Auditor Jim Zeigler are among those still entertaining the idea of entering the race.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn