Rich Hobson, a longtime aide to Roy Moore, announced today he would run for Congress in Alabama's 2nd District, which extends from Montgomery across the southeast corner of the state.

Hobson, who managed Moore's Senate campaign, will enter the Republican primary to challenge U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, who is running for a fifth two-year term. State Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, is also running for the Republican nomination, as is Tommy Amason of Autuaga County, an Army veteran who served two combat tours in Iraq. The primary is June 5.

Hobson, 56, is making his first run for public office. He said he decided to run for Congress about a year ago.

Becky Gerritson, founder of the Wetumpka Tea Party and a former candidate for the 2nd District Congressional seat, introduced Hobson at today's announcement on the Capitol steps.

Hobson twice served as head of the Administrative Office of Courts when Moore was chief justice. Both times, Moore was removed from office because of defiance of federal court rulings.

Hobson stood by his support of Moore today.

"I walked with Chief Justice Roy Moore, twice, when he was attacked for standing for our values, and I paid the price," Hobson said. "I was his campaign manager in this last campaign, and all of us who were involved paid a price as we watched the liberal elite in America pull off the biggest political assassination of our time.

"But the reason why he was hated was because he believed strongly that we will never be great as a nation if we do not acknowledge the God of our founding fathers and his truth. If we don't get this right, America will cease to exist."

Hobson said his priorities in Congress would be to prioritize spending to rebuild the military, to "put America on a path to permanent prosperity," in part by making taxes the lowest in the world, and "reminding America what made us great, our Judeo-Christian values."

Hobson said he supported President Trump's policies, calling for a full repeal of Obamacare and construction of a wall on the border with Mexico.

Hobson said before a wall can be built, the government should use the military to secure the border. Moore had said the same thing during his campaign.

Hobson said he did not know Moore's plans or whether Moore would seek another office. He said he would support Moore if he does.

Moore lost to Democrat Doug Jones in the Dec. 12 special election.

Updated at 12:07 p.m. to add Tommy Amason to the list of candidates in the 2nd District.