Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), a founder of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus and one of former President Donald Trump staunchest congressional supporters, lost Alabama's Republican Senate primary on Tuesday to first-time candidate Katie Britt, a former chief of staff to outgoing Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). The Brooks-Britt runoff was the highest profile race in Tuesday's primaries in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Trump initially backed Brooks in the race but rescinded his endorsement in March and endorsed Britt 11 days before Tuesday's runoff election, after she had emerged as the clear frontrunner. Britt, 40, also had the endorsement and financial backing of Shelby and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and their political action committees. She is expected to beat Democratic nominee Will Boyd in the fall.
Brooks, 68, was the initial favorite to win the race, but when his campaign faltered and Britt's took off, Trump pulled his endorsement, accusing the ultra-conservative Brooks of going "woke" for suggesting it's time to move on from Trump's 2020 election loss.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Brooks still ran under the banner "MAGA Mo" and tried to get Trump's endorsement back in late May after narrowly earning a spot in the runoff election, The Associated Press reports. He told an AL.com columnist last week "it's quite clear that Donald Trump has no loyalty to anyone or anything but himself." On Tuesday, he suggested Britt is insufficiently conservative. "Congratulations to the Democrats — they now have two nominees in the general election," he said.
Trump-backed candidates Vernon Jordan and Jake Evans lost their primary races for a pair of House seats in Georgia, extending the former president's losing streak in the crucial swing state. Jordan, a former Democrat, lost to trucking company owner Mike Collins in Georgia's 10th Congressional District, while Evans was beaten by emergency room doctor Rich McCormick in the 6th District.
In other notable races, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser beat a pair of challengers in the district's Democratic primary, making her very likely to win reelection in November. Virginia GOP primary voters picked Navy veteran Jen Kiggans to take on Navy veteran Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) in the 2nd Congressional District, home to a major naval station, and chose Prince Williams County Supervisor Yesli Bega to challenge Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) in Virginia's 7th District.
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in FijiUnder the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Can Trump bully Netanyahu into Gaza peace?Today's Big Question The Israeli leader was ‘strong-armed’ into new peace deal
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to ChicagoSpeed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
The GOP: Merging flag and crossFeature Donald Trump has launched a task force to pursue “anti-Christian policies”
-
Five key questions about the Gaza peace dealThe Explainer Many ‘unresolved hurdles’ remain before Donald Trump’s 20-point plan can get the go-ahead
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
