Super Tuesday Senate primaries: Here’s everything you need to know

 Three Republicans are competing here for the chance to run against vulnerable Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, who is widely considered the most endangered senator up for reelection. 

Tuesday’s primary contest pits former Alabama senator and Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions against Rep. Bradley Byrne and political newcomer Tommy Tuberville, a former Auburn University football coach. If no one gets a 50% majority on Tuesday, the top two finishers will face off later this month in a runoff. 

With all three candidates polling close to one another, the race has the potential to be one of the most contentious primaries in the country, with all three candidates trying to run as close to Trump — who enjoys a 60% approval rating in Alabama — as they can. 

It is also a highly risky venture for Sessions, who fell out of favor with Trump after he recused himself from Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Sessions stepped down in 2018, and Trump has not endorsed his Senate bid. 

Prior to joining the Trump administration, Sessions represented Alabama in Congress for three decades, first in the House and then the Senate. For Sessions, ending his political career with a loss in a primary runoff would surely tarnish his legacy.

If Tuberville comes out victorious, it could also pose fresh challenges for the Republican Senate majority. Tuberville is an Arkansas native who left Auburn in 2008 and has never run for public office before, so it’s unclear how he would handle the intense scrutiny that comes with a major Senate campaign.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/02/super-tuesday-senate-primaries-guide.html