Dem calls Trump’s Pensacola rally a ‘HATEFEST’

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) blasted President Trump’s Friday rally in Pensacola, Fla., in a tweet Saturday, labeling it a “hatefest.”

The tweet also appeared to blast Roy Moore, the GOP Senate candidate in Alabama, as “a racially insensitive homophobe.”

“Is he referring to the HATEFEST on the Alabama border designed to bolster a racially insensitive homophobe?” Jeffires tweeted.

Is he referring to the HATEFEST on the Alabama border designed to bolster a racially insensitive homophobe? https://t.co/3P16qVPYGl

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) December 9, 2017

The New York Democrat was responding to Trump praising the rally on Twitter.

GREAT EVENING last night in Pensacola, Florida. Arena was packed to the rafters, the crowd was loud, loving and really smart. They definitely get what’s going on. Thank you Pensacola!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2017

Trump gave an enthusiastic endorsement of Moore during the rally, telling supporters to “get out and vote for Roy Moore.”

{mosads}“Go, go, go,” Trump said at one point.

Trump’s rally came just days before the Alabama special election to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s former seat. While the White House maintained Trump wouldn’t go to Alabama to campaign for Moore, the Pensacola rally took place just miles away from the Alabama border and inside one of Alabama’s largest media markets.

Moore has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, including allegations that he initiated a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32.

Top GOP leaders have called on Moore to drop out of the race in the weeks since the allegations were first reported, but the Alabama Republican has refused those calls and steadfastly denied the accusations.

Moore has also faced criticism for his previous remarks on LGBT rights.

In October, he called for the impeachment of the federal judge who partially blocked Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military and in November said “the transgenders don’t have rights.”

Trump has gone all-in supporting Moore in recent days, and has used his Twitter account and public remarks to endorse Moore and attack his Democratic opponent, Doug Jones.

Moore currently leads Jones by 3.6 points, according to the Real Clear Politics average of polling in the race.