Last week, former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions made it official by announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the 2020 U.S. Senate election. Since announcing his candidacy, his opponents have charged him to be part of the so-called Washington establishment given his 20-year tenure as a U.S. Senator and his time in the early part of the Trump administration.

During an appearance on Birmingham, AL radio Talk 99.5 “Matt & Aunie” program, Sessions addressed those criticisms. He dismissed the Washington establishment moniker and said if reelected to the U.S. Senate, he would represent the people of Alabama.

“I feel fresh having been out for a year and resting up, number one,” Sessions said. “But number two, everybody promises to be this new great thing. How many of them deliver? I delivered. I was the only senator that supported Donald Trump. I led the fight for years on immigration. I helped kill the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which gave the Sultan of Brunei the same vote as the President of the United States in this [European Union] type of agreement.”

“Was I part of the establishment?” he continued. “Nobody that knows Washington would say that. I’ve been the voice for the people. I believe the average American working person is not being respected in Washington. They don’t know our problems. They spend too much time in fundraising groups with these very nice corporate executives and not enough time dealing with a family that wonders where they’re going to get $400 for a set of tires for their car. Are they going to put it on a credit card at 25% interest? This is the world.”

“Finally, we begin to see in the Trump agenda an increase in wages,” Sessions added. “I would just say to you the idea that Jeff Sessions is going to be part of the Washington establishment is ludicrous. I deny that. I’m going to represent our people.”

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