Roy Moore today announced he is resigning from his position as the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court to run for the United States Senate.

"I'll stand for the rights and liberties of the people," Moore announced to cheering supporters and to reporters gathered at the State Capitol.

"My position has always been God first, family then country," Moore said. "I share the vision of President Donald Trump to make America great again," Moore said.

He later added, "Before we can make America great again, we've got to make America good again."

Moore said a key to making that happen is making sure the federal government stays within constitutional bounds.

"We've got to understand that getting back to the Constitution, getting back to its restraints, are what we need in this country to make it great again."

Moore said he has submitted his papers to resign from the state Supreme Court, a position he was suspended from for the remainder of his term.

Gov. Kay Ivey appointed Lyn Stuart chief justice. Stuart had served as acting chief justice since Moore's suspension. Ivey will now be able to appoint a new associate justice to give Alabama's highest court its full nine members.

Justice Tom Parker said today he will seek the chief justice seat in the 2018 primary election.

"Alabama is a conservative state. We revere the Constitution and the Rule of Law. And I believe our courts are the battleground for our God-given rights as free people," Parker said. "Please pray with me as I take this step, and thank you for standing with me as I continue to stand for the God-given principles that remain the foundation of the freedoms we cherish as Alabamians."