Katie Britt won't debate Mo Brooks ahead of June 21 Alabama GOP Senate runoff

Katie Britt will not debate opponent Mo Brooks before the June 21 U.S. Republican Senate runoff, a decision that led to the campaigns accusing each other of bad faith on Wednesday.

Sean Ross, a spokesman for Britt, said in a statement she would not participate in a televised debate planned for June 14 and accused Brooks wanting "a circus" marked by "false, desperate personal attacks."

"Katie won’t participate in the final circus act of Mo’s career — she will continue to work tirelessly and travel to every corner of Alabama to share her conservative message, listen to Alabamians, and answer their questions," the statement said.

Brooks' campaign Wednesday accused Britt of hypocrisy, noting that she had criticized Republican Senate candidate Mike Durant, who finished third in the May 24 primary, for refusing to participate in candidate debates. Will Sampson, a spokesman for Brooks, wrote in a statement that Brooks "welcomes the opportunity to debate with Katie Britt about her mudslinging accusations."

"An honest candidate with courage would not hesitate to defend her own statements, which says a lot about Katie Britt’s refusal to debate," the statement said.

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Britt, a former Business Council of Alabama president and CEO and longtime aide to outgoing U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, is the latest in a long line of Alabama Republican frontrunners who have declined to debate opponents in either party. Govs. Robert Bentley (2014) and Kay Ivey (2018) both refused to debate their opponents in their campaigns. Tommy Tuberville also refused to debate his GOP opponents in the 2020 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, or then-U.S. Sen. Doug Jones in the general election that year, which Tuberville won handily.

Britt got 45% of the vote in the primary, winning 62 of the state's 67 counties and doing notably well in the Wiregrass, where she got 56% of the vote. Brooks, a six-term congressman, got 29% of the vote, with his strongest performance occurring around Huntsville, his home. Durant got 23%.

Brooks' campaign has accused Britt of being the pick of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. The Senate Leadership Fund, a political action committee aligned with McConnell, spent $1.4 million in attacks on Brooks through May 4, according to the Federal Election Commission. Brooks has also tried to woo Durant voters by accusing Britt of "dishonesty" in her attacks on Durant prior to the primary. Sampson also accused Britt of flip-flopping on issues ranging from taxes to support for Donald Trump.

"Britt is hiding because she’s scared of her record, but Mo Brooks is proud of his and is ready to debate her anytime, anywhere," Sampson said in a statement. "If she ever gets permission to debate from Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and her other RINO funders, she’ll know where to find us."

Britt's campaign has accused Brooks of being a career politician and cited criticisms Brooks made of Trump as a surrogate for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign as a sign that Brooks has been inconsistent in his support for Trump. Ross wrote in an email Thursday that Britt had appeared alongside Brooks at forums around the state.

"Katie has been accessible, relentless in her travels across the state, happy to answer questions on the trail, and she has released detailed information on her policy positions and plans as Alabama's next Senator," he wrote. "The reason Congressman Brooks is so upset is simply because he wants — and needs -- to turn this race into his circus. However, Katie isn't going to let him further embarrass our state."

Britt raised $6.8 million for the campaign to Brooks' $2.8 million through May 4. But outside groups have also been spending money. A PAC called Alabama's Future, which has gotten at least $2 million from the Senate Leadership Fund and $3 million from Great Southern Wood Preserving Co. in Abbeville, has spent at least $3.6 million attacking Brooks. The Club for Growth, a Washington D.C.-based organization supporting Brooks, has spent $2.6 million attacking Britt.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman at 334-240-0185 or blyman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama GOP Senate runoff: Katie Britt won't debate Mo Brooks