Steve Flowers: Groundhog Day
Happy Groundhog Day. It is an ironic juxtaposition that the State of the Union address by the president and Groundhog Day occur on the same day. One involves a meaningless ritual in which a doddering octogenarian who is as outdated as the State of the Union event stumbles through some scripted predictions. The other involves an outdated mythical tradition celebrating a prediction by a rodent. Both prognostications by Biden and the Groundhog are insignificant and irrelevant. Our marquee race for 2022 in the State of Alabama is the race to replace our retiring U.S. Senator, Richard Shelby. Before I delve into the rivalry to follow Shelby and sit in his seat, allow me to say that his junior counterpart in our current Senate tandem, Coach Tommy Tuberville, is doing a good job after his first year as our junior U. S. Senator. There was some speculation regarding his effectiveness, given his lack of governmental experience. Tuberville has put together an excellent staff. He did a good day’s work when he secured Stephen Boyd as his Chief of Staff. Tuberville and his staff are doing an excellent job with constituent service, which is an integral part of a senator’s job when you want to be an effective senator for your state. Tuberville’s staff is especially interested in helping veterans in Alabama. He has a full-time staff member who is assigned to helping Alabama veterans get their deserved benefits for their service to our country. You could tell Tuberville was driven to making sure that military veterans and current servicemen and women were taken care of when he was running. His father was a career military man, and Tuberville revered him. Coach Tuberville has not sought the spotlight and tried to become a Fox News darling and be a right wing ideologue. He has taken on a workhorse mentality and has voted consistently conservative and been a team player within the GOP Senate caucus. Tuberville realizes that he will never be a Richard Shelby because he got there later in life after his career as a college football coach. He has learned that seniority counts. Arriving in the U. S. Senate at age 66 is not conducive to being a senate giant. Seniority is king in Washington. Tuberville also understands the importance that defense spending and agriculture are to Alabama. He is applying himself to protecting these two vital concerns as any senator from Alabama should strive to accomplish. It is all about seniority in the U.S. Senate. It will be at least 15 years before anybody we elect to this senate seat has any real power to bring home the bacon. Katie Britt is 40, and Mo Brooks is 68. You can do the math as to which one has the potential to be effective for Alabama and build seniority and power. Katie Britt not only has the youthfulness to gain seniority, but she also possesses the ability, acumen, and more importantly, she wants to be an effective senator for Alabama and protect our military bases and jobs. Mo Brooks has shown over his 40-year political career and, more recently, his 10-year congressional tenure that he does not want to be effective for Alabama. He is more interested in bomb throwing than doing anything for his district or Alabama. Brooks could not be effective, even if he wanted to. He will be 69, and the Republican leadership would dismiss him as a rightwing gadfly and an old one at that. The wildcard in the Senate race is one Mike Durant. He came out of the blue three months ago and has bombarded the airwaves with a constant saturation of television ads. He has run a total media campaign with no one-on-one campaigning. Few people have ever met him. He is like a stealth candidate who only appears on your television as a POW war hero. Durant, who hails from New Hampshire, is primarily self-funding his campaign. However, he is also being financed by a PAC headed by a wealthy donor Harriman, who wants to elect five independent non-partisan senators in the mold of Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine, which would put Durant in a small group of liberal Democrats and Republicans. Durant may also be torpedoed by a family situation that has come to light recently. The U.S. Senate race is fluid at this time, with most people undecided on their choice. It will be interesting to watch. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Mo Brooks supports bipartisan bill aimed at providing flexibility on spending COVID funds
Congressman Mo Brooks announced that he has cosponsored H.R. 5735, a bipartisan bill that aims to make various infrastructure investments eligible for payment with unspent COVID-19 relief funds. The State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act, was sponsored by Reps. Dusty Johnson and Carolyn Bourdeaux. The U.S. Senate recently unanimously passed companion legislation. According to the press release, the bill will give state and local officials additional flexibility and time to responsibly spend the remaining Covid-19 money. The American Rescue Plan Act and the original CARES Act relief package, Congress provided some flexibility for how funds could be spent, but most funds were not able to be used for infrastructure projects. The bill also includes a separate program designed to support larger bridges through a competitive grant program. If enacted, this legislation would allow Alabama to use unspent coronavirus relief funds on much-needed infrastructure projects such as the I-10 Bridge. The bill has 144 House cosponsors. Brooks stated, “I support giving states the flexibility to spend coronavirus funds as they see fit. State and local elected officials, not federal government bureaucrats, know what their communities need most. Alabama has several desperately-needed infrastructure projects, such as the I-10 Bridge in the Mobile Bay area, that are stalled due to a lack of funding. This bill could free up funds that would jumpstart those important projects.” Rep. Bourdeaux commented that passing the bill will enhance economic growth for states. “Thanks to our bipartisan infrastructure law, Georgia’s bridges are getting a significant investment over the next five years. This funding will help connect our communities, boost the local economy, and improve safety across Georgia. For growing suburbs like mine, this funding will help us address congestion and improve people’s daily commutes and mobility,” Bourdeaux stated.
Common Sense Campaign Tea Party endorses Mo Brooks
The Common Sense Campaign Tea Party (CSCTP) announced that its Board of Directors unanimously voted to endorse Congressman Mo Brooks for the U. S. Senate. Dr. Lou Campomenosi, president of CSCTP, commented that the Senate race is “too important to wait until closer to the May 24th Primary to endorse a candidate.” Campomenosi also commented, “Our country is in domestic turmoil and facing significant foreign threats and needs a conservative leader such as Congressman Mo Brooks in the U. S. Senate.” Brooks’ long service to Alabama was seen as a major factor in CSCTP’s endorsement. The group sees Brooks’ service “as a consistent champion of Christian conservative thought.” The announcement also stated “Congressman Brooks is the only candidate whose record as a conservative can be verified by his years of service and high rankings from every conservative organization that ranks members of Congress on their voting records – organizations such as American Conservative Union, Club for Growth and Heritage Action.” “The Common Sense Campaign Tea Party urges all Alabamians to support the only MAGA candidate in this race and the only one whose conservative record can be verified. We know who Congressman Brooks is, what he believes and what he has stood for. We need him in the U. S. Senate to represent Alabama. In these tumultuous times when our American history and values are under attack from the radical left, Congressman Brooks has stood shoulder to shoulder, year after year fighting for Alabama values. He needs our support in the May 24th Republican Primary!”
Mo Brooks introduces bill to give states power to deny illegal alien resettlement
Congressman Mo Brooks introduced a bill called the Local Control Act, a bill that aims to allow state governors and local elected officials to decline when the federal government attempts to settle illegal aliens in their communities. The bill states that the federal government must “require the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify the Governor of a State prior to the date on which any alien without lawful status under the immigration laws is transported to, housed in, or resettled in suchState, and for other purposes.” Specifically, the bill would add a new section to the Immigration and Nationality Act that would state that illegal aliens could not be settled into a state 1) without the approval of the governor and 2) could not be placed into any locality in the state if that locality has a law or policy in effect disapproving of illegal alien resettlement in that area. The “Local Control Act” is endorsed by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a border security advocacy group. Brooks stated, “The first duty of any government is to protect its citizens against invaders. I believe in empowering governors and local elected officials to defend their states and communities since Joe Biden has proven incapable or unwilling to do his duty. Reports indicate that illegal aliens are being driven in unmarked white vans and being flown into communities in the dark of night by the Biden Administration. Recently, unvetted Afghan evacuees were placed in Alabama without any Alabamian’s consent. Americans shouldn’t be put at risk of terrorism, illegal alien crime, job losses, wage suppression, or any other number of things by a lawless presidential administration that is dead set on weakening America.” Brooks has been a staunch critic of President Joe Biden’s handling of the crisis in Afghanistan. He expressed disapproval in September over the resettlement of Afghan nationals in Mobile. Brooks commented, “Recently, unvetted Afghan evacuees were placed in Alabama without any Alabamian’s consent. Americans shouldn’t be put at risk of terrorism, illegal alien crime, job losses, wage suppression, or any other number of things by a lawless presidential administration that is dead set on weakening America.” Dan Stein, President of FAIR, believes the law will help keep Americans. Stein stated, “As the historic crisis on the border continues to worsen, FAIR applauds Representative Mo Brooks’ leadership in assuring that the wishes of the American people are respected by the federal government. The Local Control Act returns power to the American people by requiring state governors to approve any federal plans to house or resettle illegal aliens in their state. It also gives localities the ability to opt out of illegal alien resettlement. Federal funding should not be used to detriment the interests of U.S. citizens and lawful residents, and this bill will ensure that their voices are heard. Remember, the American people are the key stakeholders in when it comes to immigration, and this legislation treats them as such.”
Steve Flowers: U.S. Senate race is our 2022 election year premier contest
This year’s midterm congressional elections will be the political story of the year in American politics. The U.S. House of Representatives will be in play big time. Whichever party has the majority has all the power. Currently, the Democrats have a very small majority. Polling and history reveal that Republicans are poised to pick up a large number of seats and gain back a majority in the House and will more than likely gain a slim majority in the U.S. Senate where there is currently an even 50 to 50 split, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris having the tie-breaking vote that gives the teetering majority to the Democrats. History has portended without deviation to a clear historical political fact that the party that wins the White House and concurrently House seats loses those seats in the next midterm elections. It is usually a significant pickup, especially when there is a Democratic president. Early polling indicates this will happen this year. President Joe Biden’s approval ratings are abysmal, which will spill over into the swing House districts throughout the country. The first revealing salvo occurred in November in the Democratic State of Virginia when voters elected a Republican Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and the majority of Virginia House delegates. A Republican takeover of the U.S. House will affect Alabama favorably because our House delegation is made up of six Republicans and one lone Democrat. The marquee event for this year, politically, in Alabama will be for the open seat of retiring Senior Senator Richard Shelby. The race has been ongoing for almost a year and will be decided in a few short months from now. The election is on May 24. The runoff will be June 21. The winner of that runoff will be our next U.S. Senator. The favorites to capture the seat are either Katie Britt or Mo Brooks. Recent reliable polling reveals a close dead even contest between Brooks and Britt. Mo Brooks is the current congressman from the 5th Congressional District, which encompasses Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley. There is probably not a congressional district in the entire country that has benefited more from federal spending than the Huntsville Redstone Arsenal. Brooks has not been helpful in this attraction of federal dollars to his district. The heavy lifting towards Huntsville’s growth has fallen onto the shoulders of Senator Richard Shelby. Brooks has been an obstacle to Huntsville’s federally funded prosperity. Brooks is seen in Washington as a right-wing gadfly nut that is more interested in finding a Fox News camera than helping his District or State. His claim to fame is that he is currently the endorsed candidate of former President Donald Trump. Katie Boyd Britt is the mainstream, rational, conservative candidate. She is the choice of the pro-business, pro-growth Republican establishment in the state. She is the former CEO of the Business Council in the state. She has received the endorsement of most business groups as well as the coveted Alabama Farmers Federation. The business community sees her as a stable, reliable, and youthful successor to Shelby. Katie Britt and Mo Brooks will both be well funded. Britt has outdistanced Brooks in fundraising. However, Brooks will be bolstered by the right-wing Washington conglomerate Club for Growth and may be able to match Britt dollar for dollar. It will be an expensive race. The wildcard in the contest is the entry of one Mike Durant. He announced his entry about two months ago and immediately began a bombardment of excellent television and radio ads. Durant is a decorated war hero and POW who came to Huntsville from New Hampshire and built his own successful business from scratch. He has a real story that, if told well, will sell. In fact, it already has begun to sell. The hidden fact in the recent polling, which shows Britt and Brooks knotted at about 30 percent each, reveals that Durant is polling at 15 percent after only one month in the race. Durant is the wildcard in this race. Katie Britt’s polling numbers are good. They show her trending upward. She is also the only candidate with a grassroots organization. She has campaigned in every county in the state, while Brooks’ handlers have worked to keep him off the campaign trail in fear that he will go off script and implode, which he has tendency to do. It would not surprise me that if Durant can sustain his ads for four months, which will be a heavy lift of his personal assets, that when the votes are counted on May 24, you may have a Katie Britt vs. Mike Durant runoff on June 21. It will be a fun race to watch. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Jessica Taylor ends her Senate campaign, endorses opponent Mike Durant
Jessica Taylor has announced the end of her U.S. Senate candidacy during a meeting of the Republican Women of Huntsville, Yellowhammer News reported. During that announcement, she also endorsed her former opponent, “Black Hawk Down” aviator Mike Durant. A recent poll showed Durant in third place with 16.6% of support among likely Republican primary voters, just behind U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Katie Britt. That same poll showed Taylor coming in fourth with 4%. Taylor expressed her support for Durant, calling him a “political outsider.” Taylor commented on Twitter, “After meeting Mike, I quickly realized he is an outsider with an inspiring life story and has the best shot at beating the establishment careerists. We don’t need another career politician in Washington. We need a pro-Trump conservative with the guts to take on the establishment.” “I ran for office because we need more political outsiders who will stand up to the radical left and career politicians. Mike Durant is the political outsider that Alabama needs in Washington, and I am proud to endorse his campaign for United States Senate,” proclaimed Taylor. “Mike has spent his life serving our country and building a successful business. Like President Trump, Mike will use his business experience and outsider perspective to deliver for Alabama and drain the swamp. I look forward to supporting Mike’s campaign and sending him to Washington for one more mission.” Durant expressed appreciation to Taylor for the endorsement. “I’d like to thank Jessica Taylor for all that she has done for conservatives in Alabama and for her support of our growing campaign,” stated Durant. “For too long, career politicians who have never held a real job in their life have made poor decisions that have left Alabama families behind and put America last. I’m running to change that.” The primary election is set for May 24, 2022.
Katie Britt and Mo Brooks neck and neck in new senate poll; Mike Durant a contender
A new poll is showing a close Senate race between first-time candidate Katie Britt and six-term Congressman Mo Brooks. The poll was conducted by firm McLaughlin & Associates and was commissioned independently from any campaign or entity that supports a candidate in the race. The poll shows Britt leading Brooks on a head-to-head ballot, 38.8% to 36.6%. 24.6% of voters were undecided. When voters were asked who they would vote for amongst four candidates, Brooks came out on top, with 31.4%, while Britt was a close second at 26.2%. Third place went to candidate Mike Durant with 16.6% and Jessica Taylor came in fourth with 4%. 21.8% were undecided when asked about all four candidates. Sean Ross, a spokesman for the Britt campaign, said in an email, “It is clear the Alabamians want fresh blood in the Senate, not a do-nothing, 40-year career politician. Katie continues to work tirelessly every day to directly deliver her positive message to every corner of our state, and her grassroots campaign is paying off. She will be the best candidate to protect Alabama’s Christian conservative values, fight to always put Alabama first, and deliver real results that benefit hardworking Alabama families, not Washington, D.C. special interests. Alabamians can see this, as the numbers reflect.” In the same poll, when asked about President Joe Biden, 90% of voters had an unfavorable opinion of him. 85.8% had a favorable opinion of Donald Trump, and 64.6% had a favorable opinion of retiring Senator Richard Shelby. Britt, who was recently endorsed by Manufacture Alabama, has also been out-fundraising her opponents. In October, she had already raised $3.76 million for her campaign while Brooks had raised $1.79 million. Britt is also endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Alabama Retail Association, and the Home Builders Association of Alabama. “Manufacture Alabama seeks to endorse pro-business candidates who will advocate on behalf of manufacturers in Alabama. Katie Britt embodies these qualities and has the tenacity and experience we need representing Alabama in the U.S. Senate,” said George Clark, President of Manufacture Alabama. “Katie has the work ethic, energy, and vision required to ensure Alabama will be a great place to live and work for future generations.” David Hughes, associate professor of political science and public administration at Auburn University at Montgomery believes Brooks and Britt will end up in a runoff. The professor told Al.com, “For my money, this race is headed to a runoff between Britt and Brooks,” Hughes said. “Britt has a name recognition problem, and Brooks has an image problem. We’ll see how that plays out leading down the stretch.”
Members of Congress respond to bipartisan Defense Authorization Act
With bipartisan approval, the House has passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022. The NDAA sets policy for the nation’s defense and is critical to national security. The bipartisan agreement authorized $768 billion for national security spending, which is $25 billion more than the Biden administration requested. The House passed the bill Tuesday night by a vote of 363-70 and sent it to the Senate. Rep. Mike Rogers, Lead Republican of the House Armed Services Committee, helped eliminate parts of the Act that the GOP disagreed with, including removing the provisions that would restrict the 2nd Amendment rights of servicemembers and require young women to register for the draft. During a House rules committee hearing, Rogers emphasized the need to pass the legislation, remarking, “Neither side got everything they wanted in this process,” but Rogers called it “a good bill.” “I am grateful for the work by my colleagues in the House and the Senate to craft a bipartisan and bicameral NDAA that bolsters our national security and supports our troops. This bill will prepare our military to face the ever-growing threat of China by banning them from our American supply chain and modernizing our weapon systems. In addition, this bill blocks the left’s attempt to push their social agenda through Congress by eliminating the provisions that would restrict the 2nd Amendment rights of servicemembers and require young women to register for the draft,” Rogers commented. “It also prohibits the DOD from dishonorably discharging servicemembers who choose not to take the COVID-19 vaccine, requires strong accountability measures for the Biden Administration’s debacle in Afghanistan, and provides a 2.7% pay increase for our brave servicemembers. “The FY22 NDAA is critical for Alabama’s proud defense industrial base that employs thousands. I am especially pleased to see funding for the Anniston Army Depot and increased funding for shipbuilding. “Congress has no greater responsibility than to provide for our defense and to make sure the brave Americans who wear the uniform have the best equipment and training to defend our liberty and freedom. I am proud of the role this bill plays in that vital effort,” Rogers concluded. Rep. Terri Sewell voted in favor of the NDAA. “Ensuring that our brave men and women in uniform have the resources they need to defend our nation is one of my most solemn responsibilities as a Member of Congress and one that I do not take lightly,” said Rep. Sewell. “This defense bill not only meets the needs of our servicemembers but also invests in HBCUs, combats sexual assault in the military, promotes climate resiliency, and strengthens our national security.” Barry Moore issued the following statement after voting for the NDAA. “I am thrilled Congressional leaders were able to set aside partisan politics and put forward a true national defense bill that I could proudly support,” said Moore. “As a former Guardsman, I understand the absolute necessity of supporting of our servicemembers, and while imperfect, this bipartisan bill meets that challenge. I thank Ranking Member Rogers, as well as Armed Services Committee members Brooks and Carl, for their countless hours of hard work on this legislation. “Fighting to support our men and women in uniform is my highest priority, and they will always have my unwavering support.” Gary Palmer voted in favor of the Act because some of the provisions the GOP disagreed with were eliminated. “It is critical that we continue to fund and strengthen our military, especially at this crucial time when China and Russia are ever-growing threats,” Palmer stated. “China is determined to supplant the United States as the world’s only superpower, and Russia is projecting power that threatens our Eastern European allies as a test of our resolve. I think our military must be ready to meet emerging threats. A strong military is vital to our national security and to the security of our allies. This legislation has fortunately gone through necessary changes since it was first introduced and no longer contains provisions which would infringe on our service members’ right to keep and bear arms, or would force our nation’s daughters to register for the draft. I commend the Republican Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Committee, Mike Rogers (AL-03), for succeeding on removing these and other onerous provisions from the original bill. As it now stands, the bill will provide necessary resources and stability for our military.” Congressman Robert Aderholt praised the bill and the 5% increase to the budget. “I’m pleased to see and support the revised NDAA before the House that both increases our defense funding and reverses the cuts that the Biden Administration proposed in the previous version,” Aderholt said. “It’s our job in Congress to ensure that our military is not only well funded but continues to maintain the highest standards in strength and capability.” “I would like to thank Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03), Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Committee, for his leadership in the effort to maintain those standards. From Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville to the military shipbuilders in Mobile, our national defense will always be one of my top priorities. “The revised NDAA boosts the defense topline by $25 billion, a 5% increase over FY2021. It authorizes a 2.7% pay increase and benefits for servicemembers, reverses cuts to shipbuilding and aircraft procurement, includes all-time high investments into research and development, prohibits the Department of Defense from dishonorably discharging servicemembers that refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, mandates accountability on the Afghanistan withdrawal by demanding that the DoD recover all U.S. aircraft, and prohibits any financial support to the Taliban. I am also pleased that this final bill removed the requirement for women to register for the Selective Service.” Mo Brooks initially voted no on the Act arguing that the bill “hastens America’s suffering a debilitating insolvency and bankruptcy.” Brooks voted yes after concessions were made. “On the whole, the Conference Committee’s NDAA version strengthens national security by modernizing the resources our warfighters need to be successful when duty calls while minimizing the policy damage Socialist Democrats hoped to
Kay Ivey draws challengers in 2022 GOP primary
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who had been considered a safe incumbent as she seeks a second full-term in office, is drawing challengers in next year’s 2022 Republican primary with candidates gambling that they can capitalize on ties to former President Donald Trump or conservative voter dissatisfaction with the pandemic and other matters. Lynda Blanchard, who was Trump’s ambassador to Slovenia, is switching from the U.S. Senate race to the gubernatorial contest, according to a copy of a campaign event invitation she tweeted. Toll road developer Tim James, the son of former Alabama Gov. Fob James, confirmed Monday that he is launching a primary challenge against Ivey. Blanchard’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the invitation that said a Tuesday campaign announcement was sponsored by the Lindy Blanchard campaign for governor. James said he is entering the race because he believes many conservative voters are “anxious” about the state’s recent political decisions. Among them, he cited a gas tax increase, a push by some Republicans to legalize casinos, a medical marijuana program, and aspects of the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic such as past mask mandates on K-12 students. “This is not who the people of this state are,” James said in a telephone interview Monday. “It’s certainly not what normal, conventional-type Republicans believe in.” James ran for governor in 2002 and 2010, when he narrowly missed making the GOP runoff, finishing about 200 votes behind eventual winner Robert Bentley. Bentley went on to win the post that year. Ivey is seeking her second full term after Bentley stepped down in 2017 amid a legislative push to impeach him. Blanchard has scheduled a Tuesday campaign event in Wetumpka. Taking on a well-funded incumbent is typically an uphill battle in a primary. James is already known to primary voters. Blanchard, a businesswoman and mother of eight, is expected to lean into her ties to Trump, who remains popular among state Republicans. “The MAGA Movement is the heart and soul of this nation. I entered the Senate race to serve Alabama’s people, and no matter what the future may bring, that will always be my main goal,” Blanchard said last month amid speculation she was switching races. Trump on Monday backed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue’s challenge to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in that state’s GOP primary next year. Trump encouraged Perdue to run after lashing out at Kemp, claiming he did not do enough to overturn Democratic President Joe Biden’s electoral victory in Georgia. It is unclear if Trump will weigh in on the Alabama race. He told Newsmax on Monday that he is looking at races but did not mention any candidate by name. “Well, I look at Alabama. It’s been a great state. I won it by record numbers, as you know. And a lot of people (are) asking for endorsements. And I’ll probably endorse people, various people at Alabama,” Trump said, noting he has already endorsed U.S. Mo Brooks in the U.S. Senate race. The primary is set for May 24, 2022. Stacy Lee George, a correctional officer and former Morgan County commissioner, is already running against Ivey. Speaking about the growing field, James noted his father used to say that “a governor’s race ought to draw a crowd.” Fob James served two terms as governor, once as a Democrat after being elected in 1978 and then as a Republican after being elected in 1994. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Members of Congress vote no on bill to keep government temporarily open
Reps. Barry Moore, Mike Rogers, and Mo Brooks have voted against H.R. 6119, a short-term spending bill extending current government spending levels through February 18, 2022. The bill passed the House and now goes to the Senate for consideration. Rep. Moore previously opposed continuing resolutions (CRs), arguing that they damage the military’s critical long-term planning ability and fail to address evolving issues addressing the nation. The government is currently being funded by a CR passed by Congress in September. Moore stated in a press release, “Democrats have been so focused on sticking the American people with their radical tax-and-spend agenda that they have once again neglected to perform the basic role of government. Not only does this spending bill represent another fundamental failure by this Democrat-led Congress to do its job, but it allows the Biden administration’s reckless and dangerous vaccine mandates to be funded. Instead of forcing her radical agenda on America through constant manufactured financial cliff brinksmanship, Speaker Pelosi needs to address the multiple real crises facing American families, like rising crime, increasing inflation, our broken supply chain, and the worsening border fiasco.” Rep. Rogers released a statement defending his vote against the bill, stating, “Today, I voted against the Continuing Resolution that just kicks the can further down the road. One thing I hear from leaders across all Services is that multiple CRs are actively damaging military readiness. Continuing our current levels of Defense funding until February 18 is inexcusable in the face of threats from China and other enemies, especially after the Biden Administration has proven they are unwilling to fully fund our military. House Democrats chose to spend the past year bickering over their socialist spending spree instead of performing one of our most basic constitutional duties. This CR is another example of Democrats’ inability to govern.” Brooks also voted against the bill and believes CRs hurt the military. “Continuing Resolutions, by their very nature, hurt national security, NASA, and countless private sector contractors and businesses. Temporary funding deprives agencies and contractors of the ability to plan long-term, make sound financial decisions, and hire new employees,” Brooks stated in a press release. “Under a continuing resolution, agencies cannot begin new programs, thus trapping research and development in the past and hindering government agencies’ use of the latest technological innovations. Congress should fund the government through annual appropriations bills that give departments certainty of funding so that they can operate as efficiently as possible.” H.R. 6119 continues appropriations at current levels until February 18, 2022, with limited exceptions. The legislation also provides $7 billion to assist in the resettlement of Afghan refugees.
Sources confirm Donald Trump appointee, Ambassador Lynda Blanchard plan to announce run for governor of Alabama
After months of speculation on a reported switch in campaigns for Lynda Blanchard, it looks like the rumors are true. According to insiders, Blanchard is planning to end her campaign for the U.S. Senate seat and run for governor of Alabama, according to a CNN report. She is expected to announce her campaign against Governor Kay Ivey next week. The former ambassador to Slovenia, Blanchard was a major donor to the Trump campaign but never received his endorsement for her run in the Senate. That endorsement went to Mo Brooks, a long-time Trump supporter. CNN reported that Trump met with Blanchard, and she was receptive to the prospect of her running for governor. In an August interview on FM Talk 106.5’s Jeff Poor Show, Blanchard commented, “You know, I can tell you that I’ve been all over this state, and there are a lot of people that, you know, like we saw this weekend, want everything Trump. And they want a Trump governor, as well.” According to a Rolling Stone report, Trump blames Gov. Ivey for canceling one of his rallies in Alabama this summer. The rally in question was a July 3 “Freedom Rally” at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile. Defenders of Ivey note that the rally was canceled by the Battleship Commission, not the governor herself though the commission is stacked with appointees she chose. Without Trump’s endorsement, Blanchard’s Senate campaign has lagged behind Mo Brooks and Katie Boyd Britt.
Club for Growth launches long-anticipated opposition of Katie Britt
Club for Growth has finally joined the fight for the Alabama U.S. Senate seat. The 2022 election, still months away, is looking to be a long and hard-fought battle, with major players vying to take the seat now held by long-time senator Richard Shelby. Club for Growth Action, the federal super PAC, has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks. Now the group is taking aim at Katie Britt. A Club for Growth spokesman told Yellowhammer News that it has a new ad that will run after the Iron Bowl in the Montgomery media market. The 30-second ad targets Britt for her association with Democrat Mayor Steven Reed and for her supporting the 2019 Rebuild Alabama Act, which included a fuel tax increase. The ad states, “Wouldn’t it be nice if politics had clear lines like football? Look at Katie Britt. Whose side is she on? Britt worked for Democrat mayor Steve Reed’s transition team when he took over in Montgomery that pushed a ton of liberal policies, including massive tax increases. And Britt backed a $300 million, 10-cent-a-gallon gas tax hike. Katie Britt: If you’re a Trump conservative, she’s not on your team.”
