HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- President Donald Trump implored his supporters Friday to get behind an establishment-backed incumbent in a Republican runoff race in Alabama, arguing that Sen. Luther Strange will "drain the swamp."
Acknowledging he was putting his own political capital on the line, the president insisted to thousands of cheering fans in Huntsville, Ala., that backing Strange -- who was appointed in February to temporarily fill the seat that opened up when Jeff Sessions became attorney general -- would help further the Trump agenda.
"We can only win the fights and we can only drain the swamp if we have smart, tough, tenacious leaders who know who they are and know how to deliver," Trump said. "Luther Strange is our man."
Despite Trump's endorsement and heavy spending by a super political action committee tied to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Strange remains locked in a tight race against former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, a jurist known for opposing gay marriage and pushing unsuccessfully for the public display of the Ten Commandments. The runoff vote will be held Tuesday.
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Trump said Strange had wrongly been branded an establishment insider, saying people have unfairly claimed Strange is "friendly with Mitch [McConnell]," the Senate majority leader. Trump called that a "bum rap."
He also praised Strange for agreeing to back Republican health care legislation with no strings attached, saying, "That's the coolest thing that's happened to me in six months."
And Trump insisted he was taking a political risk, saying that if Strange loses, "they're going to go after me."
Moore is favored by many of Trump's supporters and allies, including former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who headlined a rally for Moore on Thursday night.
Moore also appears to have the support of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson -- though a confidant insisted his praise wasn't an endorsement.
In a statement released by Moore's campaign, Carson called the former judge a "fine man of proven character and integrity" who "reflects the Judeo-Christian values that were so important to the establishment of our country."
But Armstrong Williams, who was an adviser to Carson during his campaign for president, said the praise was "not an endorsement" and that Carson was "just showing support for his friend."
The president acknowledged that he had friends who supported Moore -- including some who worked for Trump, though he joked, "They may not have a job by Monday."
Trump argued that Moore will have a harder time winning the general election against Democrat Doug Jones, but still promised to campaign "like hell" for Moore if he wins.
While Trump emphasized his support for Strange, his speech also delved into his White House agenda, as well as many of his campaign themes.
He lashed out at North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, calling him a "madman." He criticized Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for opposing GOP efforts to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's health care law. He discussed his long-promised border wall, called allegations of Russian election meddling a "hoax" and relived his 2016 general election victory at length.
Information for this article was contributed by Erica Werner and Jill Colvin of The Associated Press.
A Section on 09/23/2017