Category: U.S. Senate race 2020

Super PAC Supporting Katie Britt for U.S. Senate Launches

The first super PAC of the Alabama Senate race has arrived.

Alabama Conservatives Fund, which supports former Business Council of Alabama President Katie Britt’s candidacy, launched this week and is planning a series of advertising spots touting the Republican from Enterprise.

The group is planning six-figure ad buys each on broadcast, cable and digital television platforms, seeking to “penetrate likely Republican primary voters at a significant rate” in the Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile media markets. Read more.

Jones Calls for Bipartisanship in Farewell to Senate, Does Not Address Talk Biden Favors Him for AG

Outgoing U.S. Sen. Doug Jones bid farewell to his colleagues during a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday afternoon, urging them to set aside partisan politics and restore the American people’s faith in government.

Jones was elected to the Senate in a surprise upset in 2017, becoming the first Alabama Democrat elected to the Senate in 25 years. He was beaten handily in last month’s election by former Auburn football head coach Tommy Tuberville.

During his speech Wednesday afternoon, Jones said he’d expected not to be re-elected. “I remember right after I was elected, I was talking to a friend of mine. … We talked about the possibility that we could work on a bill as important as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” Jones said. “I knew, though, such opportunities were not likely, especially in what I knew to be a three-year window and not knowing what the future would hold — although, I’ve got to be honest, I had a pretty doggone good idea when I got here. If there’s one thing my mama always taught me, it was to be realistic about things.”

Some reports Wednesday put Jones as President-elect Joe Biden’s top pick for attorney general, while others said he was in the top two contenders. Jones did not mention those reports during his speech Wednesday, but he did promise to continue “working toward those same goals too, even after I leave this place.” Read more.

Tuberville Reclaims Senate Seat for the Republicans

Tommy Tuberville defeated incumbent Sen. Doug Jones in Tuesday’s election, reclaiming Alabama’s junior Senate seat for Republicans after the party’s surprise loss in a special election three years ago.

With 65 of 67 counties reporting at midnight, Tuberville had 62% of the vote to Jones’ 38%.  

Tuberville, a former head football coach for Auburn University, had easily defeated the seat’s previous occupant, Jeff Sessions, in July’s Republican runoff. From there, he shifted to a minimalist campaign approach, eschewing debates and mostly avoiding public and media appearances, counting on his name recognition and Alabama’s deep-rooted conservative politics to push him to victory.

Even in the primary, his campaign was painted in broad strokes. Tuberville portrayed himself as a loyalist to President Donald Trump, echoing his promises to “drain the swamp” – i.e., remove corruption from Washington — and to “build the wall” along America’s border with Mexico. When he appeared onstage Tuesday night to give his acceptance speech, he promised supporters that his first term as senator would “be guided by our shared values, conservative values, and I will vote for the majority people of the state of Alabama and not for a party like Doug Jones did.” Read more.

Jones Tells Supporters He Can Beat Tuberville, Despite What Polls Say

Sen. Doug Jones visited his hometown of Fairfield on Saturday afternoon, one of many stops throughout Alabama during the final days of his re-election campaign.

Standing in the parking lot of Urban Smoke Bar & Grill and flanked by his wife Louise, son Carson and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Jones told supporters to disregard polls that show him trailing his opponent, former Auburn football head coach Tommy Tuberville.

“We know better,” he said, urging his supporters to “remember the feeling” of his previous victory against Roy Moore in December 2017, which had also been a surprise. Jones argued he could pull off the same surprise in Tuesday’s election. He said his campaign’s internal polling data “is right where we want it.”
Read more.

2020 Voter Guide: Jones Meets Tuberville in Scrimmage to Claim U.S. Senate Seat

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, the first Democrat Alabama has elected to the Senate in 25 years, is running an aggressive campaign to keep the seat and show he’s no one-hit wonder. He’s facing off against Tommy Tuberville, former Auburn University head football coach who is trying to reclaim the seat for the Republicans, in the Nov. 3 general election.

Jones Runs Aggressive Campaign to Maintain Senate Seat for the Democrats

Was Doug Jones’ victory a fluke?

That’s been the prevailing question since November 2017’s special election, when Jones narrowly edged out Roy Moore for the Alabama Senate seat vacated by then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Jones, an attorney from Birmingham, became the deep-red state’s first Democratic senator in a quarter-century, though many attributed the upset to the allegations of sexual misconduct that plagued his far-right opponent. Read more.

With a Commanding Lead in Polls, Tuberville Shuns Media and Jones While Embracing Trump

Tommy Tuberville has never run for political office in his life. But now he’s running for the United States Senate like he’s an incumbent.

He’s keeping his head down and avoiding mistakes.

If pre-election polling is correct, the game plan is working. Read more.

BirminghamWatch’s 2020 Voter Guide

Printable Sample Ballots for Jefferson and Shelby Counties

List of Candidates with Profiles

Your Guide to Alabama’s 2020 Constitutional Amendments

Poll Watchers Have Strict Rules to Follow, and So Do Others at the Polls

Voting by Absentee Ballot

Jones Runs Aggressive Campaign to Maintain Senate Seat for the Democrats

Was Doug Jones’ victory a fluke?

That’s been the prevailing question since November 2017’s special election, when Jones narrowly edged out Roy Moore for the Alabama Senate seat vacated by then-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Jones, an attorney from Birmingham, became the deep-red state’s first Democratic senator in a quarter-century, though many attributed the upset to the allegations of sexual misconduct that plagued his far-right opponent. Read more.

With a Commanding Lead in Polls, Tuberville Shuns Media and Jones While Embracing Trump

Tommy Tuberville has never run for political office in his life. But now he’s running for the United States Senate like he’s an incumbent.

He’s keeping his head down and avoiding mistakes.

If pre-election polling is correct, the game plan is working. Read more.

Jones Outpaces Tuberville 3-to-1 in Fundraising for Senate Campaign

Sen. Doug Jones, generally regarded as the most vulnerable member of the U.S. Senate in the November elections, is approaching Election Day with huge advantages over Republican challenger Tommy Tuberville in fundraising and spending.

Reports filed Thursday with the Federal Elections Commission show the freshman Democrat raised about three times as much as Tuberville, a former Auburn University football coach, and spent almost five times as much during the three-month period that ended Sept. 30. Read more.

Recent Contributors to Jones and Tuberville