Trump cancels Alabama rally over coronavirus fears
The president's endorsement of a Republican opponent to his own former attorney general is shaking things up in the state's senatorial elections
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump’s campaign has reportedly cancelled plans for the president to appear at a rally in Alabama next week after local officials expressed concerns about a mass gathering in the state amid soaring coronavirus infections.
Mr Trump has endorsed Tommy Tuberville, former Auburn University football coach, in the state’s GOP senatorial elections against his own former attorney general, Jeff Sessions.
The rally was set to be held before the state’s primary elections later this month, but was indefinitely postponed on Tuesday, CNN reported.
Tim Murtaugh, communications director for the president’s re-election campaign, told the news outlet: “We don't ever confirm where we're looking until a rally date and location are announced. There is always work underway to identify sites.”
Mr Sessions was previously expected to win back his old Senate seat in his home state but quickly found himself facing a challenging bid from the popular former football coach.
The president has taken an interest in the election after a public spat with his former attorney general, describing Mr Tuberville as a “terrific head football coach” and a “REAL LEADER who will never let MAGA/KAG, or our Country, down” in a tweet endorsing the Republican challenger.
“He will be a great Senator for the people of Alabama. Coach Tommy Tuberville, a winner, has my Complete and Total Endorsement,” the president wrote on Twitter in March, adding: “I love Alabama!"
The news comes after Mr Trump’s seemingly failed grand return to the campaign trail earlier this month, with a rally that saw just 6,200 attendees while the president’s campaign was claiming upwards of a million supporters would show.
Mr Trump’s campaign blamed the low turnout on protestors demonstrating against the police-involved killing of George Floyd, which has sparked weeks of anti-racism rallies and marches.
His campaign manager said demonstrators were preventing audience members from getting into the arena, though reporters on the ground said the demonstrations did not significantly disrupt the event.
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