Nick Saban Publicly Urges Longtime Friend Joe Manchin to Support Voting Rights Bill
Alabama coach Nick Saban was was among the sports figures from West Virginia to recently write a letter to Sen. Joe Manchin in support of the “Freedom to Vote Act” being debated in the United States Senate.
Saban was joined by Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, former NFL quarterback Oliver Luck, and Darryl Talley, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame.
"We are all certain that democracy is best when voting is open to everyone on a level playing field; the referees are neutral; and at the end of the game the final score is respected and accepted," Saban and the others wrote. "So we are united now in urging Congress to exercise its Constitutional responsibility to enact laws that set national standards for the conduct of Federal elections and for decisions that determine election outcomes."
"We commend you for ensuring that such legislation rests on critical features of our Constitution. These guarantee that all Americans have an equal voice in our democracy and that Federal elections are conducted with integrity so that the votes of all eligible voters determine the election outcomes."
Manchin is one of the original authors of the bill, which was combined with the “John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” designed to standardize election laws across the country and restore provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
However, Manchin and Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema do not support efforts by the Democratic leadership to change filibuster rules to ensure the bill passes.
“In the last year, some 20 states have enacted dozens of laws that restrict voting access and allow local officials or state legislatures to interfere inappropriately with Federal election outcomes,” the letter states. “Motivated by the unanticipated outcomes of recent close elections conducted with integrity, these state laws seek to secure partisan advantage by eliminating reliable practices with proven safeguards and substituting practices ripe for manipulation.”
Saban has largely stayed out of politics, especially since taking over the Crimson Tide in 2007, but has appeared in campaign ads for his longtime friend, Manchin.
One rare time he did tip his toe in was in joining Alabama athletes and other school officials during a “Black Lives Matter” march in 2020. It concluded with a ceremony and speeches in front of the Foster Auditorium, where former Alabama governor George Wallace stood in a final effort to stop desegregation.
He's also done numerous public-service announcements encouraging vaccinations for COVID-19.
The letter drew a quick response from one Republican Congressman from another state.
"Nick Saban should focus on winning National Championships instead of destroying our elections," South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman tweeted Tuesday.
Update: According to CNN, Saban asked to include a footnote in the letter that said he is not in favor of getting rid of the filibuster and that, "He believes this will destroy the checks and balances we must have in our Democracy." CNN reported that the footnote said the other signees of the letter "take no position on this aspect of Senate policies."
