'The gloves have come off': Alabama GOP Senate race has grown ugly since Trump pulled endorsement

According to a report from the Associated Press, the race for Alabama Republican Party nomination to replace retiring Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has been thrown into chaos after Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement, and now it has become a 'bitter" fight to get 50 percent of the vote and avoid a runoff in June.

As the report notes, the former president yanked his endorsement from Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) who was being rewarded after, "... the conservative firebrand whipped up a crowd of Trump supporters at the Jan. 6, 2021 'Stop the Steal' rally that preceded the U.S. Capitol insurrection," only to pull it in March because Brooks' campaign seemed to be going nowhere with voters.

Since that time, millions have been spent as Brooks battles with top contenders Katie Boyd Britt, the former leader of Business Council of Alabama, and Mike Durant, an aerospace company owner.

According to the report, "Observers say it’s hard to predict whether the nomination will be settled in Tuesday’s primary. The fractured field increases the chances that the race will go to a June 21 runoff, which is required unless one candidate captures more than 50% of Tuesday's vote."

The report states David Mowery, an Alabama-based political consultant claimed there is no clear front-runner which has led to the candidates launching withering attacks on each other.

As Mowrey put it, "It’s anybody's guess as to who’s in first and who’s in second in the runoff," before adding, "The gloves have come off."

The AP report states, "Outside groups have pumped more than $20 million into the race to either support or oppose one of the frontrunners. The Super PACS have been responsible for many of the attack ads in the race. Alabama Patriots PAC spent $4 million to support Durant after receiving money from America’s Project, a Virginia-based PAC associated with Jacob Harriman, a Marine Corps veteran who operates the organization, 'More Perfect Union.' Alabama’s Future, a PAC opposing Brooks, has received $2 million from a Mitch McConnell-aligned PAC."

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