Katie Britt sees ‘fraud’ in Trump’s election loss, vows to work for Alabama if elected to Senate

U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt

Katie Britt speaks to diners in a bakery in Livingston, Alabama as she campaigns for the U.S. Senate

Alabama Senate candidate Katie Britt says there was fraud in the 2020 presidential election, but she stops short of calling the election “stolen,” and says she would maintain her independence as a Senator for Alabama.

“I believe that there was fraud,” she told AL.com Wednesday. “I think you have to have a forensic audit. You have to give people peace and clear confidence that their vote is going to matter the next time.”

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump, seemingly focused on the 2020 election, withdrew his endorsement of U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks in the Senate race. Trump said he removed his support because Brooks told an Alabama crowd last year that it was time to move on from the 2020 election.

Trump did not immediately endorse either of the other two candidates, businessman Mike Durant nor Britt.

Britt on Wednesday told AL.com that she has spoken with Donald Trump about her campaign strategy and her work ethic. Last month she visited him at his Mar-a-Lago resort. She said she updated him on her campaign and her husband Wesley Britt, formerly a professional football player, spoke with the president about the Super Bowl.

“I really stressed to him about our work ethic. I truly believe nobody is working harder, and I believe the people of Alabama are worth that. Rest assured if somebody is not working hard right now, they are not going to work hard once they get there, and so I told him about going to every single (Alabama) county before anybody else had done that.”

Britt told AL.com that election security is a priority, including concerns about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. She said that COVID-era changes led to irregularities in the 2020 Presidential race from ballot harvesting, where people collect and submit absentee ballots from other voters.

Britt said she believes in requiring voter ID. “There shouldn’t be an impediment to getting an ID to vote, but I do believe you need one,” she said.

“You have to have an ID to do almost anything if you want to be a productive member of society, to register your children for things, to get a job, and so making sure that people have access to that should and will be always a top priority of mine.”

Britt has focused her campaign messaging on promoting conservative, Christian values, such as stopping abortion. She emphasizes bringing greater opportunities to the state through education and infrastructure, such as broadband, and on addressing growing mental health and opioid addiction crises.

When asked about her other opponent, Mike Durant, who recently surpassed her lead in polls, Britt said she cares about Alabama more than any other candidate.

“There is no doubt that I am the best candidate,” said Britt. “I am the only candidate that was born and raised here. I love this state.”

Meanwhile, Brooks reacted with disappointment to the news he had lost the support of Trump over his comments on the 2020 election.

“It’s disappointing that, just like in 2017, President Trump lets Mitch McConnell manipulate him again, Brooks said in a statement to AL.com on Wednesday. “Every single negative TV ad against our campaign has come from McConnell and his allies. I wish President Trump wouldn’t fall for McConnell’s ploys, but, once again, he has.”

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