Alabama Senate runoff national bellwether for Mitch McConnell vs. Donald Trump for Senate leadership
National media and insiders are all abuzz watching the U.S. Senate race in Alabama, noting that it has become a proxy battle between Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump supporters within the party. While Trump pulled his endorsement in the race, just as Congressman Mo Brooks found his footing again, it hasn’t stopped Trump-like and Trump-supporting senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz from going all-in in their support of the firebrand congressman. Brooks continues to wage war on the same establishment supporters who fought Trump tooth and nail as a candidate. Both Paul and Cruz have campaigned on behalf of Brooks, the Alabama congressman who staunchly supported Trump, and urged a crowd of Trump supporters to start “taking down names and kicking ass” before the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Meanwhile, McConnell and his team favor Katie Britt, the former president of the Business Council of Alabama and chief of staff to Richard Shelby. “The people who I trust that I know really well from my state, Thomas Massie and others, tell me he has a great voting record … It takes somebody who’s willing to stir the pot, who is willing and unafraid,” Paul commented during a Monday evening tele-townhall for Brooks. “We need hard-hitters who are unafraid to tell the truth, and I think Mo Brooks is one of those.” Brooks sees the upcoming June runoff as a battle between McConnell Republicans and MAGA Republicans. “This Senate runoff is a battle for the soul of the Republican Party. It is Mitch McConnell’s Katie Britt versus Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Rand Paul, and America First’s MAGA Mo Brooks,” Brooks said after Tuesday’s primary. “Katie Britt is a Chamber of Commerce lobbyist backed by McConnell and the Swamp. They are bragging about trying to buy this seat for Britt.” AL.Com reported shortly after Trump pulled his endorsement of Brooks that, “Britt made it a point of stopping short of calling the election stolen.” In a nearly 20-minute interview on Capitol Journal, while Britt praised Trump fawningly, she again dodged addressing the issue outright twice when directly asked. Instead, opting to talk about election fraud in general terms and the changes in procedures that were seen due to COVID-19. Brooks, however, continues to argue that Trump won and that the election was stolen from him. According to a McClatchy DC report, a super PAC run by McConnell’s former chief of staff donated $2 million to an Alabama group designed to take down Brooks and assist Britt. Stephen Law, who runs the Senate Leadership Fund, told The Hill earlier this month that Brooks has historically been “a very weak candidate…a bad fundraiser, prone to gaffes.” Additionally, McConnell allies in Washington have quietly sent financial contributions to Britt. Monica Popp, a GOP consultant who is married to David Popp, McConnell’s communications director, Brian McGuire, a former McConnell chief of staff, and Megan Hauck, a former health policy adviser to McConnell, have all sent Britt personal donations. While Britt may have the support of the D.C. fundraising circuit, Brooks believes that separating himself from the likes of McConnell and what he sees as the “anti-Trump movement” is a good strategy. Three of Brooks’ television ads have shown images of McConnell with labels like “debt junkie” and “weak.” Earlier in the month, Brooks held a series of rallies around Alabama that were titled “Fire McConnell townhalls.” Brooks said in a campaign statement, “This race is not about me: it’s the America First agenda vs. the swamp, Mitch McConnell, and the bought and paid for special interest agenda. It is time for conservatives to choose sides. In 2017, McConnell spent more than ten million dollars lying about me and my record. Now he’s at it again.” One poll showed McConnell’s favorability rating among Alabama Republicans is just 27%, with 54% viewing the McConnell unfavorably. The McClatchy DC report quoted Apryl Marie Fogel, radio host and conservative activist in the state as saying, “Mitch McConnell is viewed here in Alabama as the epitome of all that is wrong with the party. He represents the establishment in a state that prides itself on a base that is anti-establishment.” Fogel went on to say, “On the other hand, this is a state that has long embraced Ted Cruz and Rand Paul style conservatism. They’d love to see more of that fiery brand senator on the floor.” Fogel added, “There’s a lot more riding on this election and runoff than just who is going to hold this seat; McConnell and team has the money, but Cruz and Paul have the hearts of the voters.” The attention on McConnell also takes away attention from the fact that Trump revoked his support of Brooks during his campaign. “I’ll tell you this: I don’t believe Donald Trump is going to get conned by McConnell twice,” Brooks said after qualifying for the runoff. “He’s not going to side with Mitch McConnell and against the Alabama grassroots. At the end of the day, he’s going to stand with the America First movement.” In an interview late last year, Brooks suggested Paul and Cruz would be preferable leaders of the Senate Republican caucus over McConnell. “I anticipate that once in the Senate, the people of Alabama are going to want me to support as the Republican Leader in the Senate, whoever is the most conservative senator running for that position, and that’s what I will do,” Brooks said at the time. Paul has already indicated he will help Brooks. “If you get into the runoff, I’m looking at my calendar,” Paul told Brooks on a Monday evening call. “I think I might want to come down to Alabama and help.”
