Republican Senate candidate for Alabama Katie Britt speaks during an election night watch event in Montgomery, Ala. Photo: Andi Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Katie Britt, the former chief of staff to retiring Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), won Alabama's Senate runoff on Tuesday, beating out Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.).
Why it matters: Britt gained momentum in recent weeks and her prospects were boosted by a late-stage endorsement by former President Trump, who had initially endorsed Brooks and then un-endorsed him.
- Trump rescinded his endorsement of Brooks after the representative told a rally to stop disputing the 2020 election results and to "put that behind you."
- Trump in his endorsement said that Britt "is an Incredible Fighter for the people of Alabama."
The big picture: Britt, who is the former head of the Business Council of Alabama, has positioned herself as a Trump-aligned conservative, CNN notes.
- Brooks, a six-term congressman from Alabama, was a strong supporter of Trump's efforts to overturn results of the 2020 election and he objected to the certification of electoral votes.
- Brooks also helped organize the "Stop the Steal" rally that preceded the Capitol riot.
Flashback: Trump's endorsement of Britt stands in stark contrast to his remarks about the Senate hopeful last July, when he said: "She is not in any way qualified and is certainly not what our country needs," per Politico.
State of play: Shelby said last year that he would not seek re-election in 2022, propelling the GOP into an intra-party scramble over who his replacement would be.
- Neither Brooks nor Britt won more than 50% of the vote in Alabama's May primary, causing the race to go into a runoff. The pair beat out former Army helicopter pilot Mike Durant.
Go deeper... Trump endorsement tracker: Which candidates have won and lost