Looks like Trump is once again backing the Republican establishment candidate, this time in the Alabama seat that Jeff Sessions vacated to be his AG:
CR – Conservatives were on the cusp of a rare Senate victory in next week’s special election to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in Alabama. With Judge Roy Moore consistently leading the race and Rep. Mo Brooks within striking distance of McConnell/Rove puppet Luther Strange, conservatives were close to knocking off this interim appointed “incumbent” and leaving the establishment without a candidate in the runoff. Yes, for the first time in ages, conservatives would actually be faced with the binary choice of the greater of two goods rather than the lesser of two evils.
And then. In came the much-vaunted Swamp Drainer to unleash the mosquitos from the undrained Swamp. President Trump tweeted the following last night:
Senator Luther Strange has done a great job representing the people of the Great State of Alabama. He has my complete and total endorsement!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017
Mo Brooks had a lot to say about this, blaming McConnell for misleading Trump to support Strange:
CNN – Brooks accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Wednesday of misleading Trump to believe that Strange is the better candidate for the job.
“I respect President Trump, but I am baffled and disappointed Mitch McConnell and ‘the Swamp’ somehow misled the President into endorsing Luther Strange,” the conservative lawmaker said in a statement.
Brooks holds McConnell “responsible” for failing to lead Republicans in repealing the Affordable Care Act.
“The President has bigger things going on than a campaign, that’s for sure,” the congressman said. “In any event, while Mitch McConnell and the Swamp managed to mislead the President last night, I still support the America First Agenda, and all the polls show we have momentum.”
Brooks said Strange is not committed to helping move forward Trump’s policy goals.
“Perhaps President Trump is unaware that Luther Strange wants to keep the Senate’s 60% rule that empowers Chuck Schumer and the Democrats to kill the entire conservative, Republican and President Trump legislative agendas,” he said.
According to The Hill two days ago, Roy Moore leads with a comfortable margin:
Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore leads the crowded Republican primary field in the state’s Senate race, according to a new poll.
Moore has 30 percent support in the JMC Analytics and Polling survey. He is followed by Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), with 22 percent, and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who had 19 percent.
Another 17 percent are undecided.
Let’s hope he can stay comfortably atop the polls despite Trump’s endorsement. If he does, I think that will say much about Trump’s ability to influence Congressional elections.