Donald Trump rescinds his endorsement of Mo Brooks in Alabama’s US Senate race
By Gabby Orr, CNN
Former President Donald Trump yanked his endorsement from Alabama Senate hopeful Mo Brooks on Wednesday, promising to make a new endorsement in the race before the May 24 primary.
Trump’s stunning decision to untether himself from a candidate who became the first Republican congressman to vote against certifying the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021, comes amid several dismissive comments that Brooks recently made about the election. Brooks was booed at a rally last August upon telling the crowd they should look beyond the last presidential contest. And in the last two weeks, he has publicly accused Trump of asking him to break the law by exploring ways to reinstall him as commander-in-chief.
“Mo Brooks of Alabama made a horrible mistake recently when he went ‘woke’ and stated, referring to the 2020 Presidential Election Scam, ‘Put that behind you, put that behind you,'” Trump said in a statement.
He continued, “When I heard this statement, I said, ‘Mo, you just blew the Election, and there’s nothing you can do about it.'”
Trump, who vowed to throw his weight behind a different candidate in the “near future,” met with Army veteran Mike Durant at Mar-a-Lago on Monday to discuss the race and get a better feel for the candidate, according to a person familiar with the meeting. He had previously told aides he is skeptical of Durant, who received a major boost in the race in the form of spending by More Perfect Union, an outside group that has committed to supporting moderate candidates in red and blue races.
Trump also met with former Alabama Business Council president Katie Britt earlier this year amid his frustrations over Brooks’ lackluster performance. As CNN has previously reported, Trump has told allies he’s impressed with Britt’s fundraising and has taken a liking to her husband, Wesley Britt, who played for the New England Patriots.
Britt served as chief of staff to retiring Sen. Richard Shelby.
A spokesperson for the Brooks campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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CNN’s David Wright contributed to this story.
