Trump withdraws Mo Brooks endorsement in Alabama Senate race

That’s “No Mo” endorsement for him.

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday withdrew his endorsement of Rep. Mo Brooks in the GOP U.S. Senate primary election in Alabama, bitingly citing Brooks’ call for fellow Republicans to stop obsessing over the 2020 presidential election results as they try to win races in 2022 and 2024.

But Trump’s move to withdraw the endorsement might have less to do with Brooks’ comment — which happened seven full months ago at a Trump rally in Cullman and drew loud boos from the crowd.

Instead, it may have more to do with recent polls showing the 5th District congressman, who has otherwise expressed ardent loyalty to Trump, is far behind in third place in the primary race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Richard Shelby. That primary is set for May 24.

“Mo Brooks of Alabama made a horrible mistake recently when he went ‘woke’ and stated, referring to the 2020 Presidential Election Scam, ‘Put that behind you, put that behind you,’ despite the fact that the Election was rife with fraud and irregularities,” Trump said in a statement.

That statement included Trump’s longstanding false claims that he lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden only because of widespread ballot fraud in several swing states.

Brooks actually has been among the most ardent supporters of those false claims. He was involved with plans to challenge the certification of Biden’s victory by Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, and gave a fiery speech outside the White House that day at a rally for Trump.

Brooks also was one of more than 140 members of Congress who voted against accepting the results of Biden’s win in several states. The Twitter account for his Senate campaign also prominently says “Endorsed by President Trump” in its profile.

Brooks in a statement later Wednesday said that Trump in rescinding the endorsement had been manipulated by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who hopes to regain Republican control in the Senate with this fall’s elections.

Trump despises McConnell, whom he refers to as “The Old Crow.”

“It’s disappointing that, just like in 2017, President Trump lets Mitch McConnell manipulate him again,” Brooks said, referring to a GOP Senate primary race that year in which former judge Roy Moore defeated Brooks and incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, who was endorsed by both Trump and McConnell. Moore later lost to Democratic nominee Doug Jones.

“Every single negative TV ad against our campaign has come from McConnell and his allies,” Brooks said. “I wish President Trump wouldn’t fall for McConnell’s ploys, but, once again, he has.”

Brooks also said that he has told Trump “the truth knowing full well that it might cause President Trump to rescind his endorsement.”

That truth, Brooks said, is…