Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) lashed out against former President Trump on Friday, saying he was "conned by Mitch McConnell" into endorsing Brooks' opponent in Alabama's Senate race.
Why it matters: Trump originally endorsed Brooks, but then pulled his support after the representative told supporters during an August rally to stop disputing the 2020 election results and to "put that behind you."
- Trump claimed in his un-endorsement that Brooks had gone "woke."
- Trump endorsed Katie Britt, the former chief of staff of retiring Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), on Friday night, saying she "is an Incredible Fighter for the people of Alabama."
What they're saying: "This is weird: last time Donald Trump talked about Katie Britt, he said she was unqualified for the Senate," Brooks said in a tweet Friday night.
- "Donald Trump is the only man in American politics who could get conned by Mitch McConnell twice in an Alabama Senate race," he added. "Let’s just admit it: Trump endorses the wrong people sometimes. He endorsed Mitt Romney, he endorsed John McCain and now he’s endorsed Katie Britt, who his own son, Don Jr. called 'Alabama’s Liz Cheney.'"
- "Alabama grassroots remember in 2017 when Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell got involved in a Senate primary in Alabama—and we rejected them. The people of Alabama will decide."
The other side: Britt fired back on Friday night, saying, "President Trump knows that Alabamians are sick and tired of failed, do-nothing career politicians."
The big picture: Brooks at one point was an ardent supporter of Trump and his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
- Brooks objected to the certification of President Biden's election win and also helped organize the "Stop the Steal" rally that preceded the Capitol riot.
- After Trump retracted his endorsement of Brooks, the representative claimed that Trump asked him to help "remove Joe Biden from the White House, immediately put President Trump back in the White House, and hold a new special election for the presidency."
- Trump denied that claim, saying, "I didn’t ask him to do it. He's in no position to do it. I certainly didn't ask him to do it."
Go deeper: The Jan. 6 committee's plan to prove Trump’s culpability
