Congressman's proposal opens door to Jeff Sessions' return to Senate
Rep. Mo Brooks, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Alabama, said Wednesday that he would drop out of the race if his GOP primary rivals also step aside to make way for Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Sessions, who has been heavily criticized by President Trump in recent days, is the previous occupant of the seat Brooks is running for. Sen. Luther Strange was appointed as Sessions' successor, but will have to defend the seat against Brooks, Judge Roy Moore, and a number of other Republican challengers in next month's GOP primary.
In a statement released Wednesday, Brooks referred to Mr. Trump's treatment of Sessions as a "public waterboarding."
"I cannot remain silent about the treatment Jeff Sessions is receiving from President Trump," said in a statement. "If the President has reservations about Attorney General Jeff Sessions, that is okay. No two people agree all the time. But President Trump should raise his reservations with Attorney General Sessions privately, man to man, one on one, not publicly scorn a great man like this."
Brooks solution is to allow Sessions to reclaim his Senate seat in the Republican-dominated state. To do that, Brooks said he would drop out of the race so long as his Republican opponents do the same.
"If all Republican candidates collectively agree to simultaneously withdraw from this race, then we clear the way for the Republican Party of Alabama to nominate Jeff Sessions to be the Republican nominee for the December 12, 2017 general election," Brooks said. He can return to the Senate where he has served us so well. [The] President can then appoint whomever he wants as Attorney General."
According to Brooks, he has not discussed the proposal with Sessions, who has given no sign that he intends to quit his current job or return to the Senate.