Ret. Marine Col. Launching Write-In Campaign for Alabama Senate

A retired Marine colonel and former aide to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly intends to start a write-in campaign in the Alabama Senate race, The Washington Post reports.

Tuscaloosa resident Lee Busby, former vice chief of staff to Kelly when he was a three-star lieutenant general, told the newspaper on Monday that he's planning on launching his own campaign as an alternative to Republican candidate Roy Moore, who's been accused of sexual misconduct, and Democrat Doug Jones.

"I think you can flip this thing. If this were a military operation, the left flank and the right flank are heavily guarded," he said to the newspaper. "I think that gives you an opportunity to run straight up the middle."

He added: "I just don't believe that either one of them are qualified to be in the U.S. Senate."

Busby said that the allegations against Moore "created enough distaste in my mind," and that "as a voter, I don't need to get to the bottom of it."

He also told The Daily Beast: "I have no idea if the allegations against him are true or not, but I don't see anything within his experience as a judge that qualifies him for the job."

But the retired colonel said that the left-leaning Moore, who is pro-choice, is the right person to represent the state.

"The people of Alabama are not going to be represented by someone who supports a liberal abortion policy," Busby said. "I'm extremely concerned about the Democratic Party in Alabama. I don't think they reflect Alabama's views."

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