Britt holds edge over Rep. Mo Brooks in Alabama Senate Republican runoff

washingtonexaminer ^

[RandFan]

When Katie Britt announced her run for Senate in Alabama last June, private polling pegged her name recognition at 8% and political support among Republican voters at just 4%.

Nearly one year later, Britt finished first, with 44.75%, in Tuesday’s primary and is favored to defeat Rep. Mo Brooks in a June 21 runoff.

Runoffs are not always hospitable to establishment-backed candidates who win round one but fall short of 50%. Brooks weathered losing former President Donald Trump’s endorsement in March, and he enters the runoff with some momentum. But Britt’s performance in the primary was so sweeping that Alabama GOP insiders are picking her to win the runoff and pick up the party’s Senate nomination without too much trouble.

“It’s pretty baked, in my opinion,” said a Republican operative with Alabama ties who had supported businessman and military veteran Mike Durant in the primary. Durant finished third, with 23.33%, behind Brooks, who garnered 29.15%.

What’s driving the confidence in Britt against a conservative stalwart like Brooks, who theoretically should do well in what is expected to be a low-turnout runoff that might see just 16% to 18% of eligible voters participate? To begin with, Britt won 62 of 67 counties in the primary. Plus, in three of the five counties Britt lost, she fell short by less than 100 votes.

Britt, 40, the former chief of staff to retiring Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), was strong in conservative, rural Alabama — counties chock full of grassroots conservatives where, presumably, Brooks needs to excel if he is to have any chance of pulling an upset.

[Zack Attack]

“The scenario not reviewed here is for Trump to come back in for Brooks”

He should. I fear Trump is beginning to value his W/L record on endorsements more than MAGA in some cases. I hope I am wrong.

[boycott]

Britt was hand-picked by Mitch McConnell and given millions and millions of GOPe Senate PAC money.

Mitch and the boys are buying this seat and they’ll have it for over 20 years.

Katie Britt hasn’t done a thing to prove herself worthy of this office. She will be answering to Mitch.

Mo is a true conservative that tells it like it is.

[alstewartfan]

That is exactly what I think. That is why I prefer DeSantis.

[dangus]

I don’t see anything about an edge. Just background.

[House Atreides]

“Battle of the RINOs. It’s amazing there isn’t a single conservative in the state of Alabama to run for Senate.”
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Sorry you’re badly misinformed. Brooks is NOT a RINO. So damn much GASLIGHTING is going on.

[RandFan]

Yeah he’s the conservative in the race

Praying he pulls it off. He needs our help and hope he gets some from outside or as boycott says will be a McConnell seat for 20 years. Argh. Frustrating.

[MachIV]

There are no more political solutions

[WinstonSmith1984]

RandFan, I disagree. Katie said she would be a hard no on the 84 Billion... Katie didn’t flinch when I asked her if the election was rigged. She said it was. Mo said “Get over” the rigged election. Mo Voted for the 84 Billion. Game set match. Katie and her husband are good folks, I met them, talked to them and believe them. Mo could have been a rock star and won this thing out right, but he flinched when it counted and then he funded the deep state by voting for the 84 Billion in Ukraine. Sorry Mo, I ain’t getting over the rigged election.

[RobertoinAL]

I’m with you, but I am disappointed that Mo voted for the $40B. And, I heard Bannon say Mo had Bush advisors now.

[Svartalfiar]

The word is she might have gotten 6-8% from democrats switching in the primary.

And how does that hurt her in a runoff? The Dems only switch back in the actually election.

[backwoods-engineer]

Not that I’m voting, but Katie Britt will win, the RINO bimbo. And she’ll vote with the Demonrats. Might as well just join their caucus now.

[wgmalabama]

Voter turnout drops significantly in June runoff. I believe in Alabama you can’t vote in a runoff if you didn’t vote in primary. So the most fervent supporters will decide. We will see how it turns out.

[Svartalfiar]

Voter turnout drops significantly in June runoff. I believe in Alabama you can’t vote in a runoff if you didn’t vote in primary. So the most fervent supporters will decide. We will see how it turns out.

True, but my point was that if the Dems crossed over to vote in the primary, then they're eligible to vote in the Repub runoff. Pay 'em enough, and they'll definitely vote again, and all your reduced turnout will mostly be on the preferred candidate, not the RINO.