The quotes around Latter-day Saint are not for Romney, but Brooks, as explained below. Also, none of this should suggest that I’m on Team Democrat, and I don’t want this to devolve into some brute-force democrat versus republican fight in the comments, but on the issue of, you know, not overthrowing the republic I think reasonable people can come together.
Like many I have been often disappointed by the paucity of republicans willing to stand-up to Trump, and I’m saddened that the one Senate republican who has a track record of putting his power where his mouth is will be retiring.
However, in his recently published book, Bob Woodward reports that Trump wanted Mo Brooks, the Congressman from Alabama, to call for a special election to reinstate him as President 6 months into President Biden’s term. Evidently at this point Congressman Brooks (who admittedly had supported Trump’s earlier shenanigans with the 2020 election) had reached his limits, and he refused to do so. Predictably, President Trump’s feelings got a boo boo, he withdrew his support from Brooks, and Brooks lost his primary.
Congressman Brooks is rather unique in that he was a Latter-day Saint convert in the deep, deep South who still won political office. In contrast to some Utah politicians whose Mormonism is an asset to play up in time for an election, one can’t help but see Brooks’ Mormonism as sincere given that it was undoubtedly a liability for him in Alabama. While he did move away from Latter-day Saint belief around a decade ago and now self-identifies as a nondenominational Christian, he still attends Latter-day Saint services with his wife, and suffered political attacks for his Latter-day Saint background. In response to a push poll attack on him he released an open letter addressing his Mormonism.
I was raised in the Methodist Church (I attended Trinity Methodist on Airport Road). As a teenager, I briefly attended both Whitesburg Baptist and Faith Presbyterian. A very close friend of mine was a Mormon missionary. In 1978, I joined the Mormon Church. About a decade ago, I decided that my faith was more akin to that of a nondenominational Christian.
I have faith in God and in Jesus Christ as our savior. I read the King James version of the Bible. I believe in the two great commandments. Per Ecclesiastes 3:17, I also believe it is God’s place to judge my soul (“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.”).
My wife is Mormon. Notwithstanding that I do not have faith in all of the things necessary to be a Mormon, I have great respect for Mormons. They are fine people. They teach strong family and moral values. I attend Mormon services with my wife, Martha, because she likes me to sit with her during sacrament service and because I love her (and the weekly reminder of moral values and principles is good for me).
The other Congressional candidates know that I am a nondenominational Christian. But this is a race for Congress. In political terms, this is the “big leagues”. A lot is at stake. And it is very common for candidates to use any weapon they perceive they may have. Hence, it is very likely that my Congressional foes will attack the Mormon faith and appeal to prejudice in an effort to drive a wedge between voters and me.
Of course, not everybody will be satisfied with his actions on either side, but I just wanted to send up a flare about another politician attending Latter-day Saint services who provided important pushback (even if a little late) to Trump from within republican ranks.
I did not know why Trump pulled his endorsement in the Senate race. But wow, in the House, even before Trump ran for president th first time, Brooks was 100% tea party wacko in the middle of every shameful House Republican shenanigan and fiasco during Obama’s presidency and then in Trump’s presidency. And Brooks was 100% involved (even leading) the Jan. 6:effort in the joint session to subvert the election results. He tried mightily to destroy the Constitution, not to save it.
But I did not know about Brooks’ LDS background.
Still, for me, this new information does not convert or elevate him to a hero. He is one of many Republicans who sold their souls for Trump and ended up on the trash heap.
Any Republican who stands up to Trump deserves some credit–partisanship is quite a drug. But mid-2021 was about the easiest time to do it since late 2016. Brooks probably assumed Trump’s political career and influence were finished (as they should have been after January 6!) and he would face no consequences for his action.
I’m more impressed that by the priority he gives his wife and his wife’s faith. He knew he would face consequences for that.