Jeff Sessions Rebrands Himself as Trump's 'Number One Supporter' in Senate Campaign Pitch to Alabama Voters

Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose troubled tenure under Donald Trump ended with him stepping down in 2018, is now claiming he is the president's "number one supporter" in his Senate campaign.

Sessions is pitching himself to Alabama voters as an ardent Trump loyalist despite being "forced...out" of the office by the president in November 2018, as The New York Times described the tense White House split. But now Sessions is being challenged by Alabama residents who polls show have overwhelming support for Trump -- and a lot of questions about Sessions' loyalty and respect for the president.

On Twitter and in conservative talk radio conversations, the former Republican senator seeking to reclaim his old seat is touting himself as "the one who helped Donald Trump form his agenda."

Trump turned against "very weak" Sessions after the then-attorney general recused himself from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the Trump administration for allegedly colluding with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Despite this, Sessions is washing over his falling out with the president to appeal to Alabama voters.

"I have been Donald Trump's number one supporter," Sessions said during a campaign appearance in Hoover, Alabama, last month, NPR reported. "Before he announced I was advancing the agenda that he believes in. I'm the one that helped Donald Trump form his agenda. I'm the one who campaigned with him all over this country on his plane. I introduced him at the Republican convention, I nominated him."

Sessions had earlier tweeted on February 26: "Talk is cheap and action matters. I will continue to be @realDonaldTrump's No.1 supporter because I understand his platform & message better than anyone. I've stood up to the establishment in Washington before, and I'm ready to seize the moment again as a Warrior for Truth."

The Sessions Senate campaign has sought to re-brand the longtime Alabama lawmaker as a conservative warrior on Trump's behalf.

"I've been with [Trump] from the start because it's the right thing for America," Sessions said in a recent video ad showing him onstage with Trump in a red "MAGA" hat. "Republicans in Washington are too soft. Trump needs a warrior for truth."

During a recent Leland Live podcast interview on Birmingham's 99.5 talk radio program, a Jasper, Alabama resident questioned why Sessions didn't do Trump's bidding at the outset of the Mueller investigation. Throughout 2017 and until his 2018 push out of the administration, Trump quoted Fox News pundits and supporters on Twitter who insulted and badgered Sessions for not pro-actively ending the Mueller investigation. Trump indirectly applied "Drain the Swamp" chants at his Attorney General for not showing more loyalty.

"Why didn't you stand with him during the investigation when you were the attorney general?" the Alabama caller self-identified as "Richard."

"I have stood with Donald Trump all the way through," Sessions replied to the caller, telling he and listeners that he was simply following the law.

Trump has about a 60 percent approval rating among Alabama voters from all political affiliations and overwhelming support from Alabama Republicans. On Tuesday, March 3, Sessions will face off against several GOP primary challengers in a hotly contested bid to take on current Democratic Senator Doug Jones in the general election. Sessions previously held the Alabama Senate seat for two decades until he became Trump's attorney general.