Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill Tuesday announced that he is seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. "We need people who are willing to stand up, and to fight back, and not apologize for doing the right thing the right way, anymore," Merrill told a cheering crowd of supporters in Montgomery.
Merrill also took aim at the incumbent, Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook), saying his liberal voting record is out of step with conservative Alabama. "Doug Jones would be better suited representing the people of California, the people of New York, the people of Illinois," Merrill said. "Doug Jones does not represent the people of the state of Alabama, and he does not represent Alabama values, and he does not represent Alabama thinking."
Merrill joins a GOP field that includes the 2017 nominee, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) and state Rep. Arnold Mooney (R-Indian Springs Village).
"Every one of these candidates may have a different message on why they may the next best senator," former state Rep. Paul DeMarco (R-Homewood) said. "However, they're all going to have this same message: they can beat Doug Jones."