WASHINGTON _ Roy Moore, the suspended Alabama Supreme Court chief justice, announced Wednesday that he'll challenge Alabama Sen. Luther Strange in the Republican primary next year.
Moore, who was suspended in 2016 for telling probate judges not to follow federal orders on same-sex marriage, had previously been interviewed to replace Sen. Jeff Sessions after Sessions became U.S. attorney general, but now-former Gov. Robert Bentley appointed Strange, the former state attorney general, to the seat, AL.com reported.
Bentley resigned earlier this month amid revelations that he had an extramarital affair with an adviser and charged the state for some of the costs of her travel.
Strange had come under criticism for putting an impeachment investigation of Bentley on hold and saying the state's Justice Department was looking into the matter before he was appointed by Bentley.
Moore was removed from the chief justice position in 2003 after he refused to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state's judicial building, but voters restored him to the post in 2012.
Strange, GOP state Rep. Ed Henry and Randy Brinson, president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, have announced they are running. Others considering getting into the race include state Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, state Sens. Slade Blackwell and Trip Pittman, and former state Rep. Perry Hooper Jr., AL.com reported.
Party primaries are scheduled for Aug. 15 and a runoff, if needed, would be Sept. 26. The general election is Dec. 12.
