Once dumped by Trump, Brooks seeks his endorsement again
Mo Brooks speaks to supporters at his watch party for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator of Alabama at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Huntsville, Ala. Brooks is asking former President Donald Trump to back him once again in Alabama's Senate race, a request that comes two months after a feud caused Trump to revoke his endorsement of the congressman. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks is asking former President Donald Trump to back him once again in Alabama’s Senate race, a request that comes two months after a feud caused Trump to revoke his endorsement of the congressman.
Brooks on Sunday released a statement on Twitter asking “MAGA Nation” to help plead his case for Trump’s endorsement, calling himself the “Trump candidate” in the race. Brooks faces Katie Britt in the June 21 runoff that will decide the GOP nomination for the seat being vacating by retiring Sen. Richard Shelby.
“Join me in asking President Trump to #ReEndorseMo so that we can send a message to Mitch McConnell by sending a real America First conservative to the Senate on June 21,” the tweet read.
Trump had initially endorsed Brooks last year, rewarding the conservative firebrand who whipped up a crowd of Trump supporters at the Jan. 6, 2021, rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol insurrection. But Trump in March rescinded his endorsement of Brooks, citing his lagging performance and accusing him of going “woke” for suggesting it was time to move on from Trump’s false 2020 election fraud claims.
“Very sad but, since he decided to go in another direction, so have I, and I am hereby withdrawing my Endorsement of Mo Brooks for the Senate,” Trump said in March.
Brooks, at the time stinging from Trump’s rebuke, laughed at Trump’s characterization that he was “woke” and said he and Trump fell out because he rebuffed the former president’s entreaties to help overturn the 2020 election. “He wanted the election rescinded and a do-over,” Brooks told reporters in March. “But there’s no legal way to do it.”
Making a case that he should return to Trump’s favor, Brooks wrote on Sunday that Trump “gave our campaign the kick in the pants we needed.” Despite losing Trump’s backing, Brooks made his way to a second place finish in the May primary, edging out “Black Hawk Down” pilot Mike Durant.
Brooks had continued to campaign as “MAGA Mo” after losing Trump’s endorsement.
Brooks’ plea to Trump comes after he trailed the deep-pocketed Britt in the initial round of voting. Trump so far has not made another endorsement in the race.
Sean Ross, a spokesman for Britt, said it “appears that Congressman Brooks’ poor performance in the polls has led him to this new level of desperation, but it’s especially interesting given his frequent flip-flopping.”
Annual governors’ gathering with White House unraveling after Trump excludes Democrats
An annual meeting of the nation's governors that has long served as a rare bipartisan gathering is unraveling after President Donald Trump excluded Democratic governors from White House events.
Federal judge acknowledges ‘abusive workplace’ in court order
The order did not identify the judge in question but two sources familiar with the process told NPR it is U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby, a Biden appointee.
Top 5 takeaways from the House immigration oversight hearing
The hearing underscored how deeply divided Republicans and Democrats remain on top-level changes to immigration enforcement in the wake of the shootings of two U.S. citizens.
Snowboarder Chloe Kim is chasing an Olympic gold three-peat with a torn labrum
At 25, Chloe Kim could become the first halfpipe snowboarder to win three consecutive Olympic golds.
Pakistan-Afghanistan border closures paralyze trade along a key route
Trucks have been stuck at the closed border since October. Both countries are facing economic losses with no end in sight. The Taliban also banned all Pakistani pharmaceutical imports to Afghanistan.
Malinowski concedes to Mejia in Democratic House special primary in New Jersey
With the race still too close to call, former congressman Tom Malinowski conceded to challenger Analilia Mejia in a Democratic primary to replace the seat vacated by New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
