Alabama GOP Senate primary goes sour
AUBURN, Ala. — Alabama’s Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby has become a bitter high-dollar contest, with the three strongest contenders jockeying for the nomination.
The leading candidates are U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who won — and then lost — former President Donald Trump’s backing in the race; Katie Boyd Britt, the former leader of Business Council of Alabama and Mr. Shelby’s former chief of staff; and Mike Durant, an aerospace company owner best known as the helicopter pilot whose capture during a U.S. military mission in Somalia was chronicled in the “Black Hawk Down” book and subsequent movie.
Lillie Boddie, Karla M. Dupriest and Jake Schafer are also seeking the GOP nomination.
Observers say it’s hard to predict whether the nomination will be settled in Tuesday’s primary. The fractured field increases the chances that the race will go to a June 21 runoff, which is required unless one candidate captures more than 50% of Tuesday’s vote. David Mowery, an Alabama-based political consultant, said the race has an up-for-grabs feel.
“It’s anybody’s guess as to who’s in first and who’s in second in the runoff,” he said.
As for the barrage of negative campaign ads in the primary’s closing days, Mr. Mowery said: “The gloves have come off.”
The Alabama race is one of several bitterly contested GOP primaries for open Senate seats. Retirements also sparked heated races this season in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and in Ohio. Mr. Trump further scrambled the Alabama race this spring when he rescinded his endorsement of Mr. Brooks. Both Ms. Britt and Mr. Durant have courted Mr. Trump’s nod, but he has so far stayed out of the Alabama race.
“We look at this country and don’t recognize it right now. Unfortunately, under the Biden administration, every single thing in this nation is moving in the wrong direction,” Ms. Britt said during a speech to the Republican Women of East Alabama.
Before leading the Business Council, Ms. Britt served as chief of staff to Mr. Shelby, one the Senate’s most senior members and a traditional Republican known for his ability to bring home federal projects and funding to his home state.
But in speeches, Ms. Britt, running under a slogan of Alabama First, has leaned away from her hefty Washington resume. She said it’s important voters get to know her and the kind of senator she will be. Her experience, she said, gave her an opportunity to understand how the Senate works.
“I can hit the ground running on day one. And for me, Alabama First is not just a slogan. It’s a mission,” she said.
Mr. Brooks, a six-term congressman from north Alabama, is banking on his long history with Alabama voters to overcome his feud with Mr. Trump.