'You just blew the Election': Donald Trump withdraws endorsement of Mo Brooks for Alabama Senate seat

Former President Donald Trump Wednesday withdrew his endorsement of U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks for Congress, accusing him of not supporting his false claims the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

In a statement, Trump called the conservative congressman "woke" and cited comments made by Brooks at a rally in Cullman last August, where Brooks echoed Trump's false claims but told the crowd to "put that behind you" and look ahead to future elections.

"When I heard his statement, I said, 'Mo, you just blew the Election, and there’s nothing you can do about it,'" Trump said in the statement. "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. I don’t think the great people of Alabama will disagree with me."

The decision, which Trump had telegraphed for months, could be a mortal blow to Brooks' Senate campaign, which had centered the former president's endorsement in its advertising. Recent polls have shown Brooks falling behind Republican candidates Mike Durant, the owner of a Huntsville engineering firm who was held captive in Somalia in 1993, and Katie Britt, the former president of CEO of the Business Council of Alabama.

In a statement Wednesday morning, Brooks accused Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, of manipulating him and said Trump had asked him to work to "immediately rescind" the November 2020 election and hold a special election to re-elect Trump. Brooks said he had repeatedly told Trump that the election could not be overturned after Jan. 6.

“I’ve told President Trump the truth knowing full well that it might cause President Trump to rescind his endorsement," the statement said. "But I took a sworn oath to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution. I honor my oath. That is the way I am. I break my sworn oath for no man." (Trump responded later on Wednesday by doubling down on calling Brooks "woke" while suggesting he agreed with his attacks on McConnell.)

Messages seeking comment were sent to the Durant and Britt campaigns on Wednesday. Trump's statement said he would make an endorsement in the near future.

Brooks was an early advocate of claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, claims that have been proven false. The congressman said he would challenge the electoral college results in early December of 2020. Brooks appeared at a rally prior to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, where Brooks said "today is the day American patriots start taking names and kicking ass." The congressman has since said he intended to discuss future campaign organizing.

Trump endorsed Brooks last April, saying he would support "America First no matter what obstacles the fake news media, RINOs, or socialist Democrats may place in his path."

From October: Rep. Mo Brooks says he wasn't involved in planning Jan. 6 rally before U.S. Capitol riot

Brooks centered his campaign on the endorsement and even put it in his logos. At the Cullman rally in August, Brooks did not move off his claims that the election was stolen, but said the crowd should move on.

“There are some people who are despondent about the voter fraud and election theft in 2020," Folks, put that behind you,” Brooks said. "Yes. Look forward. Look forward. Look forward. Beat them in 2022. Beat them in 2024.”

Though Trump stuck with his endorsement at the time, he told the Washington Examiner last week that he was "disappointed" in Brooks and considering his options. The congressman, who struggled to break through in the 2017 U.S. Senate race, saw an early poll lead vanish amid increased spending by the Britt and Durant campaigns.

In response, Brooks' campaign rolled out an ad showing the congressman speaking at the Jan. 6 rally, and the congressman saying he "proudly stood with President Trump in the fight against voter fraud," while pivoting to attacks on Britt, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky and U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, who has condemned Trump for pushing the false narrative of the 2020 presidential election.

The candidates are running for the seat held by Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, who is retiring. The state primary is May 24.

Brooks had scheduled a series of town halls around Alabama today, including one in Prattville Thursday afternoon, which he billed at the "Meet MAGA Mo Tour."

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman at 334-240-0185 or blyman@gannett.com. Updates at 11:35 a.m. with a statement from Brooks and correcting date of his Prattville appearance to Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Donald Trump withdraws endorsement of Mo Brooks for Alabama Senate