Roy Moore to announce Thursday if he will run for Senate again

Controversial Republican Judge Roy Moore will announce on Thursday whether he will mount a 2020 Senate bid after hinting at the choice for weeks, Politico reported.

Moore’s wife, Kayla, sent an invitation to friends to attend an announcement event Thursday. The note was obtained by Politico.

“Judge has spoken with most all of you on the phone over the past few weeks and is appreciative of your warm support,” she wrote. “We will be making an official announcement regarding the [Senate] race in Montgomery this Thursday” afternoon.

Moore lost a 2017 special election to Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) after multiple women came forward with sexual misconduct allegations about the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice they say occurred when they were teenagers, including one woman who said he sexually assaulted her when she was 16.

{mosads}Rumors of the campaign have been panned on both sides of the aisle. Last month, President Trump weighed in on Twitter, arguing he has “nothing” against Roy Moore, but that he “cannot win” the Senate seat.

“I have NOTHING against Roy Moore, and unlike many other Republican leaders, wanted him to win. But he didn’t, and probably won’t,” the president continued. “If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating….Judges and Supreme Court Justices!”

…If Alabama does not elect a Republican to the Senate in 2020, many of the incredible gains that we have made during my Presidency may be lost, including our Pro-Life victories. Roy Moore cannot win, and the consequences will be devastating….Judges and Supreme Court Justices!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2019

Donald Trump Jr. has also cautioned Moore to avoid the race for the good of the Republican Party.

“You’re literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA,” Trump Jr. tweeted last month. “Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, it’s time to ride off into the sunset, Judge.”

You mean like last time? You’re literally the only candidate who could lose a GOP seat in pro-Trump, pro-USA ALABAMA. Running for office should never become a business model. If you actually care about #MAGA more than your own ego, it’s time to ride off into the sunset, Judge. https://t.co/Twg9isFRkY

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 28, 2019

Jones also mocked Moore on Twitter, saying it has been “amusing” to see the GOP reject his campaign, writing, “Sorry Roy, guess they’re just not that into you anymore.” 

It has been so amusing watching all the handwringing by establishment Republicans who were all in for Roy Moore with his cowboy suit & little gun in 2017. Sorry Roy, guess they’re just not that into you anymore.

Roy Moore hits back at Trump in defiant interview via @POLITICO pic.twitter.com/4xDBARtLHx

— Doug Jones (@DougJones) May 30, 2019

Several candidates are also already running for the seat in Alabama. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala), former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville and state Rep. Arnold Mooney are all officially running, and Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Committee, according to Politico.