Yellowhammer News has obtained a new TV ad being launched Wednesday by former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ 2020 Senate campaign.
Sessions is locked in a competitive Republican primary with a field that includes former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville and Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01).
The intra-GOP race has turned negative in recent days, and Sessions’ latest ad continues that trend, focusing its attention on Tuberville.
Entitled “Tuberville For Amnesty,” the spot lasts 30 seconds and references remarks Tuberville made in August on documented migrant workers. The ad will start running immediately in markets statewide.
Transcript as follows:
ANNC: Tommy Tuberville’s playing dirty, lying about Jeff Sessions. It’s shameful.
Tuberville is trying to trick you, hiding his support for immigration amnesty.
Listen:
TUBERVILLE: “There are people across the border that need jobs… and we want them to come over here.”
ANNC: But it gets worse:
TUBERVILLE: “Let em’ come in and become citizens like we all became citizens.”
ANNC: And Tuberville’s not even from Alabama, he’s a tourist here. He lives, pays taxes and even votes in Florida.
JEFF SESSIONS: I’m Jeff Sessions, I approve this ad.
This comes after Sessions focused criticism on Tuberville in an exclusive interview with Yellowhammer News on Tuesday. Sessions already launched a contrast ad hitting both Byrne and Tuberville this week. A pro-Byrne PAC is also up with a new ad attacking Tuberville on immigration.
Tuberville has denied that he supports amnesty, saying he supports the president’s immigration agenda.
Jon Jones, campaign manager for Sessions, stated, “Tuberville is claiming that his own words are ‘fake news.’ All of them? Tommy Tuberville needs to read the transcript. It is clear that Tuberville supports immigration amnesty, and he is attempting to trick Alabama voters to believe otherwise. In contrast, Jeff Sessions has done more than just say he wants to fix the border – he has already worked alongside President Trump to stop illegal immigration.”
The primary will be held March 3. The ultimate nominee will face U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) in November.
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Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn