According to a report from CNN's Alex Rogers, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) is hoping an appearance by Donald Trump in Alabama on Saturday will lead to a boost in campaign donations and endorsements as his campaign for one of his state's two U.S. Senate seats stalls out.
Brooks, who has evolved into one of Trump's most avid supporters, along with being a high profile proponent of spreading 2020 election fraud conspiracy rumors, has been struggling to bring in campaign cash and is hoping his appearance with Trump at Saturday's rally in the tiny town of Cullman will right the ship.
According to Rogers, Brooks has more than his share of detractors concerned he might flop in the general election -- should he win the primary -- due to his highly publicized speech at the "Stop the Steal" Rally that preceded the Jan. 6th Capitol insurrection.
The report notes that while Brooks is currently the front-runner, he is also losing the money and endorsement race.
Writing Brooks is "behind in the money race there and struggling to attract some Republicans unnerved by his brand of slash-and-burn politics," Rogers added, "... the Senate race will test the enduring strength of Trump, as some Republicans look for an alternative to Brooks. Besides placing his baseless opposition to the certification of the 2020 election at the center of his candidacy, Brooks has made a series of controversial statements, talking about a 'war on Whites' and appearing to be sympathetic to a man police arrested this week in connection with a bomb threat near the US Capitol."
Of greater concern among Alabama Republicans is Trump's uneven record when it comes to endorsements in the state.
"Trump has a spotty record in recent Alabama US Senate races. His 2017 endorsements of then-Sen. Luther Strange in the GOP primary and of Judge Roy Moore in the general election were unsuccessful. But while Trump might not be a kingmaker, he can destroy an Alabama Republican candidate's campaign," Rogers reported before admitting that Trump did derail former Attorney General Jeff Session's bid to reclaim his seat in 2020.
"The former President's rally in Cullman, Alabama -- part of a congressional district where Trump received 81% of the vote, the most of any in the country -- will remind voters who he supports for Senate," the CNN report states. "It is also likely to increase Brooks' war chest. The congressman has put ads on Facebook telling his supporters that if they donate $1,000 a person, he'll set them up in an air-conditioned tent and seats near the rally's stage. For $250, he will ensure they get 'excellent seating.'"
Trump's rally in Alabama -- his first in four years -- comes as the state is being hammered by a surge in COVID-related infections that led Cullman officials to declare a state of emergency on Thursday night.
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