Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) offered pointed criticism of Mo Brooks after the former congressman announced a Republican primary challenge against State Rep. James Lomax (R-Huntsville) in the Huntsville-area House district.
Speaking at a Business Council of Alabama-hosted event in Montgomery Tuesday morning, Ledbetter framed the race as a contrast between what he described as effective, forward-looking leadership in the Alabama Legislature and decades of political failure at the federal level.
“You’ve got somebody like a James Lomax, that is an outstanding young man, is super, super smart, is a future leader of this state without question and what he’s doing for Huntsville,” Ledbetter said. “Then you’ve got somebody like Mo Brooks running against him who has failed in every office he’s ever been in.”
Ledbetter emphasized that his remarks were not rooted in partisan politics but in governance and results.
“This is not about politics,” Ledbetter said. “This is about running this state in a manner where we can succeed.”
Ledbetter contrasted the public’s perception of Alabama lawmakers with Brooks’ time in Congress, noting that recent polling has shown the Alabama Legislature with approval ratings around 68%, while Brooks’ congressional approval rating was roughly 15%, a gap Ledbetter said underscores the difference between state and federal leadership.
“We pay our bills. We got money and he owed 30 trillion dollars when left office,” Ledbetter said.
He reiterated his criticism later in his remarks, adding, “Mo Brooks has been in office 40 years and failed at every office he has been in.”
Brooks, 71, announced Friday that he would challenge Lomax, 34, in the Republican primary after supporters raised $100,000 to fund his campaign.
Brooks previously served in the Alabama House, on the Madison County Commission and in Congress, where he most recently lost a U.S. Senate bid in 2022.
Beyond comments on the HD20 race, Ledbetter told business leaders that stability, predictability and long-term planning are essential to Alabama’s continued economic success, highlighting workforce development and pro-business policies as key priorities for the Legislature.
The Alabama Republican primary is scheduled for May 19, 2026.
