Jeff Sessions formally announces bid for old Senate seat, praises President Trump

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions formally announced his anticipated bid for his old U.S. Senate seat in Alabama Thursday evening, praising his former boss, President Donald Trump, and promising to forward the president's agenda.

What are the details?

Sessions appeared on Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight," confirming his run and telling the host his campaign would file the required paperwork on Friday.

Carlson asked Sessions if he regretted leaving the seat he held for 20 years in the first place, to which Sessions responded, "Well, I had a great tenure at the Department of Justice in so many different ways, and I don't ever worry about regretting things like that. We were able to serve, to be able to push the Trump agenda in an honorable way, and it was actually a great experience."

Sessions — the first senator to endorse Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for president in 2016 — left the U.S. Senate in 2017 after being tapped to serve as attorney general for President Trump, but drew public rebuke from the president several times after recusing himself from overseeing the investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election. Sessions stepped down from his post as attorney general last year at the request of President Trump.

In a campaign ad released Thursday night, Sessions emphasized that he has maintained his support for the president saying, "When I left President Trump's cabinet, did I write a tell-all book? No. Did I go on CNN and attack the president? Nope. Have I said a cross word about our president? Not one.

"And I'll tell you why," Sessions continued. "First, that would be dishonorable. I was there to serve his agenda, not mine. Second, the president's doing a great job for America and Alabama, and he has my strong support."

The ad was posted to Sessions' Twitter feed with the message: "This is a crucial time in our nation's history. The left has become unhinged and they are threatening the very things that make America great. I'm running for U.S. Senate because we have to fight back. Let's go!"