A candidate for Alabama's Congressional District 2 who was previously appointed by the Trump administration responded to the president's endorsement of his opponent.
David Matthews released an emotional video response after President Donald Trump endorsed State Rep. Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise).
"President Trump owes me nothing," Matthews said. "He does not owe me an endorsement. He does not owe me a favor. I owe him gratitude. His decision to run for president changed my life, changed my family's life, and gave me opportunities to serve this country that I never could have imagined."
Matthews spoke about how he met his wife and had a family while on the Trump campaign trail.
"Because Donald Trump chose to run, I met my wife, Emily," Matthews said. "Today we have five beautiful children. I would not have the life I have now if he had not stepped forward when he did. That is why this moment is not about bitterness. It is about gratitude, humility, and keeping my word."
After resigning his position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and moving back to his home in Ozark to run for office, Matthews said he is not giving up.
"I never planned to run for office," Matthews said. "For years, my answer was simple: if God opened the door and made the path clear, I would step onto it. On May 20th, that door opened. Emily and I prayed about it and stepped on that path. Today's news does not change that."
Matthews said people started calling him "Congressman" in 2017, and he refused to run for office until the opportunity presented itself with the special primary election. He said Trump's endorsement of Marques could impact his campaign. He said he will make more comments after learning more about the endorsement and the reasons behind it.
The special primary election will be on August 11.
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