After years of being basically ignored by presidential candidates, the Alabama Republican primary is important this year.
For political reporters, this weekend was a doozy. Alabamians met first-hand five of the presidential hopefuls.
All of the remaining Republican presidential candidates, and both Democrats, have visited the Yellowhammer State this cycle, and most have visited several times.
Leading Republican candidate Donald Trump visited Madison, Alabama, on Sunday, Feb. 28, marking his third campaign visit to the state. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio visited Huntsville for a rally and Birmingham for Yellowhammer News' candidates' forum on Saturday, Feb. 27.
Neurosurgeon Ben Carson visited Mobile for a campaign stop in December and stopped in Montgomery on Monday, Feb. 29, for a campaign event at Auburn University at Montgomery. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz visited Montgomery on Saturday.
Gov. Robert Bentley endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich last year, perhaps handing him some support among the state’s establishment Republicans. Despite holding the highest position in Alabama, Bentley’s support has not been the most heavily courted this cycle.
While this weekend was full of political excitement for Alabama, Trump's rally in Madison was perhaps the most important. At the rally, Trump received the endorsement of Alabama's junior senator, Jeff Sessions.
"Nobody is perfect," Sessions said. "We can't have everything, can we, Mr. Trump? In my opinion, at this time in America's history, we need to make America great again. I am pleased to endorse Donald Trump for President."
According to an AL.com article, Sessions assisted Trump in writing his immigration plan, and Sessions later called it “exactly the plan America needs.” The 69-year-old senator is the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Refugees.
In August 2015, thousands of Trump enthusiasts, and millions more following cable news coverage, watched as Sessions donned a “Make America Great Again” cap at Trump’s rally at Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. But he didn't endorse the candidate.
On Sunday, Sessions once again put on Trump's signature hat, but this time he verbally endorsed him.
Sessions is largely regarded as one of most outspoken supporters of tough immigration reform in the Senate, and several of the presidential candidates have been courting his support.
Cruz has mentioned Sessions several times in debates in reference to his immigration policies as he attempts to gain support for his own.
The candidates’ efforts to win the support of Alabama voters is no surprise, considering the state chose to move its primary elections to Tuesday, March 1 — this year’s version of Super Tuesday — for the third time in its history.
Super Tuesday is taking on another nickname this year, though. The majority of states in the South will be participating in what is being dubbed the “SEC Primary.”
Super Tuesday has always been an important day in terms of consolidating the Republican field, but this year is even more important than usual, as several more states, including Alabama, Georgia and Texas, have decided to host their primaries on that day.
In the past, Alabama has supported the winner of the Iowa caucuses, such as Mike Huckabee in 2008 and Rick Santorum in 2012. But this year it does not seem likely, as Trump has large leads in most Southern states, according to recent polling.
According to a Monmouth University poll released Monday, Trump leads his Republican competitors by a margin of 23 percentage points. Alabama joins nine out of the 11 Super Tuesday states in swinging toward Trump.
Trump has double-digit leads in polling of Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Vermont. Cruz is currently ahead in his home state of Texas. No polling has been conducted of Minnesota, Arkansas or Colorado.
A large number of delegates will be awarded Tuesday — almost half of the delegates a Republican will need to achieve the nomination. It will be an important day in determining if anyone will be able to stop Trump’s momentum.
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