Trump Jr. urges vote against GOP Senate candidate: ‘No more fumbles like Alabama’

Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, called on Republicans to oppose controversial former coal executive Don Blankenship in next week’s West Virginia Senate primary as Republicans worry his win could jeopardize chances of keeping the seat.

Trump Jr. tweeted the message to his followers Thursday afternoon, five days before West Virginians head to the polls.

In his message, he referenced last year’s Alabama Senate special election, where Republicans — including the White House — stuck with Republican nominee Roy Moore despite allegations of sexual misconduct, including a sexual encounter with a minor.

“I hate to lose. So I’m gonna go out on a limb here and ask the people of West Virginia to make a wise decision and reject Blankenship!” Trump Jr. tweeted.

“No more fumbles like Alabama. We need to win in November.”

{mosads}Blankenship spent one year in prison for a mine safety violation related to an explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine, where 29 people died. After his release from prison last year, he launched his Senate bid.

Washington Republicans have warned that nominating Blankenship could blow the party’s chances of defeating Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) in the deeply Republican state. They’d prefer either Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) or state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the two other top candidates in the race.

An outside group tied to Washington Republicans has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars attacking Blankenship.

Blankenship has criticized Washington establishment politicians. He also recently stirred controversy by using the term “Chinaperson” to refer to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) father-in-law.

The White House has not officially weighed in on the race, but during President Trump’s recent trip to West Virginia, he sat at an event flanked by both Jenkins and Morrisey, while Blankenship was not present.

Recent polling shows the former coal executive in a clear third place behind both candidates, but in an unpredictable, low-turnout election like a Senate primary, a Blankenship victory is still possible.