U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) on Thursday endorsed State Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs) in Alabama’s 2020 Republican Senate primary.
In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Paul said, “Alabama deserves a true freedom-loving conservative who supports President Trump and can win this race. I believe Arnold Mooney is the man who can do it, and I’m proud to endorse him today.”
This comes after Mooney was endorsed earlier this week by former U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), who also has served as president of the Heritage Foundation and founded the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF). The SCF previously endorsed Mooney in the race.
Proud to receive the endorsement of a conservative hero, Senator Jim DeMint! #ALSEN pic.twitter.com/BYYp3yqQUp
— Arnold Mooney (@ArnoldforAL) October 29, 2019
In addition to Paul and DeMint, Mooney already boasts the endorsement of U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT).
The gaze of keen political observers will likely now turn to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), as he, Paul, Lee and DeMint frequently back the same candidates in races across the country. DeMint’s SCF actually helped elect Cruz, Paul and Lee early this decade.
Mooney has also been endorsed by conservative pundit and talk radio host Mark Levin in Alabama’s Senate race, as well as Republican Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05).
Serving his second term in the Yellowhammer State’s House of Representatives, Mooney represents a portion of Shelby County. He is the only candidate in the race to have run television advertisements as of yet.
With former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore set to qualify on Thursday, all of the major GOP candidates who have announced bids for the Senate have qualified.
Recent polls have shown former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville leading by double digits, followed by Congressman Bradley Byrne (AL-01), Moore, Secretary of State John Merrill and Mooney. However, a poll has not been made public since Mooney started his TV advertising.
Rumors remain rampant that former Attorney General Jeff Sessions may join this already crowded field and attempt to win back his old seat.
It should be noted that while Club for Growth’s president has publicly urged Sessions to run, the endorsements Mooney has now racked up — especially of Paul, DeMint and Lee — could cause some conflict within the traditionally overlapping donor and supporter networks of the Club for Growth and the SCF.
Qualifying ends Friday, November 8.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
