# Is there still time for Jeff Sessions to jump into the race for his Senate Seat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 25, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098 "2017-07-25T18:45:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/1 "2017-07-25T18:45:35Z")
Sessions had a very secure R. Senate seat, 5 months ago. Is it still possible for him to jump into the primary of the Alabama special election? How about running as an independent? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/2 "2017-07-25T18:52:25Z")
The Republican primary for that seat is less than a month away (August 15). The deadline to qualify for that was [in May](http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/05/deadline_today_for_us_senate_r.html). I think the options are to run as a write-in candidate for the primary, or to run as an independent. ---
**Author:** ![Falchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Falchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falchion)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/3 "2017-07-25T18:58:43Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Sessions had a very secure R. Senate seat, 5 months ago. > > Is it still possible for him to jump into the primary of the Alabama special election? > > How about running as an independent? According to the Alabama SOS website, [cite](http://sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/voter-pdfs/2017/AdminCalendar-2017SpecialElection-US_Senate.pdf), the deadline to file to run in the primary was May 17. The last day to file for “ballot access” as an independent in August 15. So I think probably yes, although I may be missing something on the chart. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/4 "2017-07-25T19:00:00Z")
The primary is on August 15. The major parties have already certified their candidates ([D](http://sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/voter-pdfs/2017/stateCert-USSenate-SpecialPrimaryElection-ALDemPartyCandidates-2017-06-02.pdf), [R](http://sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/voter-pdfs/2017/stateCert-USSenate-SpecialPrimaryElection-ALRepPartyCandidates-2017-06-02.pdf), (PDFs)) for the primary. So he’s out of luck there. He could conceivably run as an independent or write-in. Not sure when the filing deadline for the general will be, but it’s generally (hehe) after the primary and any runoffs. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/5 "2017-07-25T19:00:26Z")
A related question: would Ted Cruz consider taking Sessions’ place as AG. Christ, I’m not sure which one would be worse: Beauregard, or John Ashcroft on steroids. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/6 "2017-07-25T19:01:58Z")
It’ll be interesting to see if Jeff takes that route. His current position as AG seems a bit tenuous. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/7 "2017-07-25T19:02:25Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > A related question: would Ted Cruz consider taking Sessions’ place as AG. Christ, I’m not sure which one would be worse: Beauregard, or John Ashcroft on steroids. Both Cruz and Giuliani have made it clear they are not interested in taking the position should it become vacant. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/8 "2017-07-25T19:03:33Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Both Cruz and Giuliani have made it clear they are not interested in taking the position should it become vacant. Cruz’s middle finger to the Don. In a weird way, I’ve kinda had my moments where I’ve liked the Texan Teddy Bear. Those moments have been fleeting of course, but I’ve had them. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/9 "2017-07-25T22:40:48Z")
only 1 senator endorsed Trump before he essentially locked up the nomination. And that was Sessions. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/10 "2017-07-25T23:11:32Z")
Sessions view may be different if he rejoins the Senate. 😃 Jeff isn’t a guy I’d want angry with me. He’s an experienced Washington insider. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-still-time-for-jeff-sessions-to-jump-into-the-race-for-his-senate-seat/792098/11 "2017-07-26T00:22:01Z")
There might be a loophole to run as a Republican but a quick search didn’t get down into the state law about what happens if the Republican nominee withdraws after the primary. In Indiana, when Pence withdrew from the Governor’s race to run for VP the state party was allowed to select a replacement fro the general election. Again, I can’t see what Alabama’s process for withdrawals being replaced is. All of it presumes the nominee would withdraw to support Sessions taking his place.