State Rep. James Lomax (R-Huntsville) responded Thursday to recent comments made by Mo Brooks to 1819 News, continuing a war of words that has defined the Republican primary for House District 20 since Brooks entered the race on the last day of candidate qualifying last month.
In the interview, Brooks accused Lomax and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) of making “false mud-slinging derogatory remarks” about his record and pointed to 11 reelections with an average of 83% of the vote as proof of voter satisfaction.
Brooks said residents in the district “know a con job when they see it, and they’re not going to like those who are pitching it.”
Lomax, in a press release, seized on Brooks’ use of reelection wins as a measure of success.
“He continues to promise to ‘discuss his record,’ but when pressed, his big proof of success seems to be getting re-elected 11 times, which he says makes him successful and somehow less of a career politician,” Lomax said. “By that metric, Nancy Pelosi would be the most stunning success story in American politics.”
Lomax listed a series of national issues that worsened during Brooks’ time in Congress, including rising national debt, inflation, stagnating wages, and increased illegal immigration.
“Mo’s flamboyant, over-the-top style of politics is a relic of the past, endless promises, zero delivery, and a whole lot of drama,” Lomax said. “It’s everything that’s wrong with Government: lifelong politicians who talk a big game but leave families struggling on the sidelines.”
Lomax said the race should be about the future of south Huntsville, not re-litigating old battles.
“The people here deserve fresh energy, real results, and a representative focused on making life more affordable, securing our borders, investing in areas of education and healthcare, and delivering for working families, all of which are issues I have a record of accomplishments on in just the past four years,” Lomax said.
The exchange is the latest in a back-and-forth that began when Brooks announced his candidacy in January, prompting a sharp response from Lomax and Speaker Ledbetter, who called Brooks someone who “has failed at every office he’s been in.”
The Republican primary for House District 20 is May 19.
Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News and 256 Today.
