Who Is Lee Busby? Retired Marine Wants Shot At Alabama Senate Seat

A retired Marine colonel announced he intended to launch a long-shot write-in campaign in the special election for the open Alabama Senate seat.

Lee Busby, 60, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, once served as White House Chief of Staff John Kelly’s vice chief of staff when Kelly was a Marine general. Busby said that the allegations of sexual assault and molestation against the Republican candidate, Roy Moore, have opened up a lane for a more centrist candidate for the election that takes place Dec. 12.

“I think you can flip this thing. If this were a military operation, the left flank and the right flank are heavily guarded,” said Busby to the Washington Post Monday. “I think that gives you an opportunity to run straight up the middle.”

Alabama election law counts write-in ballots as long as the candidate is still living.

Moore has been accused of assault and harassment of teenage girls when the former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court was in his early 30s. A total of nine women accused him of varying levels of sexual misconduct.

“I have no idea if the allegations against him true or not, but I don’t see anything within his experience as a judge that qualifies him for the job,” said Busby about Moore to the Daily Beast.

Busby also thinks the Democratic candidate, Doug Jones, isn’t right for Alabama given his pro-choice stance.

“I just don’t believe that either one of them are qualified to be in the U.S. Senate,” said Busby to the Washington Post. “I’m extremely concerned about the Democratic Party in Alabama. I don’t think they reflect Alabama’s views.”

Busby spent 31 years in the Marines and since retiring has worked as a defense contractor and sculpts statues that honor fallen U.S. service members.

Busby is divorced and the father of four grown children. His campaign website is barebones, but he told the Washington Post he had spent the Thanksgiving holiday working on a logo. He said that he hasn't yet told Kelly his plans, but might talk to him if his campaign gains traction.

“It may make an interesting phone call,” Busby told the Washington Post.

In the 2016 presidential election, Busby said that he voted for Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the primaries and Donald Trump in the general election.

The Republican party, for the most part, has turned its back on Moore, given the accusations against him, but Trump has continued to imply his support for the candidate.

“The last thing we need in Alabama and the U.S. Senate is a Schumer/Pelosi puppet who is WEAK on Crime, WEAK on the Border, Bad for our Military and our great Vets, Bad for our 2nd Amendment, AND WANTS TO RAISES TAXES TO THE SKY. Jones would be a disaster!” tweeted Trump Sunday.

The White House said Monday, however, that Trump would not campaign for Moore.

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