A Tea Party-aligned super PAC is backing Rep. Mo Brooks in his Alabama U.S. Senate bid, as he attempts to push back against “false attacks” from opponents.
On Thursday, Brooks announced the endorsement from Senate Conservatives Fund, founded by one time South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, was set up in 2008 to promote conservative candidates. Earlier, the Fund supported Pat Toomey in his challenge to Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, and Florida’s Marco Rubio in his first Senate bid against former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist.
In a statement from Brooks’ campaign, the group called Brooks a “principled conservative” with “strong grassroots support.”
“We believe he is the conservative candidate with the best chance of winning a likely runoff election. If he’s elected, he will fight to defend the Second Amendment, protect the unborn, stop illegal immigration and repeal Obamacare,” the statement continues. “We’re also proud to help defend Mo Brooks against the false attacks being made by Senator Mitch McConnell and his political machine.
“There is no reason why McConnell should be spending millions of dollars to mislead voters in this race and we hope conservatives come together to fight back.”
In response, Brooks said:
“SCF is one of the premier national conservative political organizations in America, and I’m proud to be endorsed as the conservative candidate most likely to upset the Washington establishment.
“Mitch McConnell and his lobbyists and special interest group financiers are spending millions of dollars in hopes of buying Alabama’s Senate seat and keeping a principled conservative out of the Senate.
“I’m confident that, with the help of patriotic, conservative groups like SCF and strong support from grassroots activists, our campaign will prevail in spite of the onslaught of attack ads that aim to deceive Alabama voters. SCF’s endorsement proves our campaign has serious momentum in this race as Election Day nears.”
In what is shaping up to be a three-candidate race, Brooks faces incumbent Sen. Luther Strange and former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore for who will serve the rest of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ Senate term. Strange is supported by the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Majority Leader McConnell, which has spent millions of dollars on the race.
Other Republican candidates the 9-person field include Dr. James Beretta, Joseph Breault, Alabama Christian Coalition president Randy Brinson, Mary Maxwell, Bryan Peeples and state Sen. Trip Pittman of Baldwin County.
The last day for Alabama voters to apply for an absentee ballot for the primary is Aug. 10. If there is no primary winner — with 50 percent plus one — a runoff is Sept. 26; the general election is Dec. 12.
Given Alabama’s strong Republican lean, whoever wins the primary — either outright or in the runoff — will most likely represent the state in the U.S. Senate.
