(AL.com) Katie Britt handily won Alabama’s Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, defeating opponent U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, who held and then lost the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
“Alabama has spoken. We want new blood. We want fresh blood. We want someone who will fight for Christian, conservative values,” Britt said to cheers from the crowd in Montgomery.
Britt said she wants to send a message to Joe Biden in November that Republicans plan to retake the House and Senate to put American first again.
Britt, an attorney from Enterprise, is now positioned to hold her first elected office. If she wins the general election, facing Democrat nominee Will Boyd in a deeply red state, Britt will become Alabama’s first elected female U.S. Senator.
“I’m just excited. I’m beyond words, actually,” said Renee Powers, for Congressional District Six who attended to Britt’s election party in Montgomery. “It’s a day that I’ve been thinking needed to come quickly because women have so much they can bring to the table.”
At 8:30, the crowd turned from expectation to celebration as a volunteer announced Britt as the likely winner,
based on the early results, which overwhelmingly favored Britt. Brooks soon
conceded.
In the May primary, Britt earned 45 percent of vote, just five percentage points short of avoiding a runoff. Britt surpassed Brooks by 100,000 votes last month. On Tuesday as of 10:15 p.m., Britt was leading Brooks with about 64 percent of the vote and more than 90 percent of the votes counted.
“I think she will make an outstanding elected official, and we’ll be proud to have her. She comes from a wonderful family, and she’s wonderful,” said Edgar Welden, former Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.
“It’s an honor. It’s a blessing. We knew in college that the lord had given her a special gift of loving the people of Alabama and serving the people of Alabama,” said Jamie Helms of Huntsville, Britt’s college roommate and best friend.
Britt has two children and is the wife of Wesley Britt, a former football player for the New England Patriots who she met at the University of Alabama.
Britt worked as Sen. Richard Shelby’s Chief of Staff in 2016 and later returned home to head the Business Council of Alabama. She now aims to fill the seat of her former mentor.
After decades in office, Shelby earned seniority and became the head of the Appropriations Committee, allowing him to direct significant federal funds to the state. His departure from the U.S. Senate will likely mean a loss of resources for Alabama.
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