The nomination of Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz as the new Attorney General may face an uphill battle in the Senate, but his confirmation could create a political stalemate for Republicans in ruby ​​red states.

This situation may pose a risk in Alabama Junior Republican U.S. Senator Katie Britt He’s evasive about President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Gaetz as the nation’s top law enforcement official.

“I have nothing for you” Britt told reporters:.

Britt’s staff did not specifically address any of Trump’s picks, including Gaetz, in a statement to AL.com on Friday.

“It is important that the Senate moves quickly to put President Trump’s cabinet in place so that Trump can act quickly to fulfill the mandate given to him and Republicans in Congress by the American people,” Britt’s office said in a statement.

“Senator Britt looks forward to reviewing each nomination as we move forward in the process. Working with President Trump, Senator Britt and her colleagues are eager to deliver results for American families and get our nation back on track with secure borders, stable prices, safe streets, and a strong national defense.”

His comments came after senior U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said: He issued a stern warning to his colleagues: If you vote against Gaetz, you will be removed from office.

“People want change and trust Trump’s judgment to make the right choices,” said Kathy Morelock, chairwoman of the Baldwin County Republican Party. “We expect Senator Britt and Senator Tuberville to make thoughtful decisions regarding President Trump’s choices that will reflect the will of the people of Alabama.”

Britt’s evasion about Gaetz pick comes just days after she was heavily pushed It is criticized on social media sites such as “X” For his actions that led to a secret ballot for Senate Majority Leader.

Britt said on Wednesday. He endorsed Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott for the position. during a secret ballot election. But he was there He remained silent about his support ahead of the vote Tuberville provided backing vocals for Scott, was a favorite among diehard MAGA supporters.

Scott finished third with 13 votes, prompting Britt to support South Dakota Republican U.S. Sen. John Thune in a runoff vote against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Thune won the last vote.

“I suspect there will be a lot of pressure in deep red states like Alabama to support all of Trump’s candidates,” said Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

“That said, in individual cases, I think a senator could probably get away with voting against a conformation if there are certain conditions (to do so). The Gaetz case may be one of them.”

Controversial election

Indeed, Gaetz’s nomination brings with it plenty of controversy, and a number of Senate Republicans have expressed doubts about whether he will be confirmed as the next U.S. Attorney General.

Gaetz would need to be confirmed by a simple majority of the Senate, which would likely consist of 53 Republican senators to 47 aligned with Democrats.

Assuming Vice President-elect J.D. Vance acts as a tiebreaker, the departure of four senators could lead to the collapse of one of Trump’s nominees.

Gaetz is seen as a controversial firebrand within his own party. He used his House position to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October 2023.

Gaetz, who resigned his House seat on Wednesday, was also facing a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations of illegal drug use and sexual misconduct, allegations he has denied.

In April, McCarthy said he was no longer Speaker of the House because “someone… asked me to stop his ethics complaint because he was sleeping with a 17-year-old.”

A super PAC led by McCarthy waged a fierce campaign against Gaetz ahead of Florida’s GOP primary in August, running negative ads in the Mobile area accusing Gaetz of inappropriate behavior with underage girls.

Gaetz has long denied wrongdoing, and the Justice Department, which investigated Gaetz between 2020 and 2022, decided not to pursue the charges.

Most political strategists believe Britt will take a thoughtful approach before deciding how to handle any of Trump’s cabinet picks, including Gaetz.

“I have full faith and confidence that he will do the right thing,” said Angie Horn, a Montgomery-based GOP strategist.

Horn noted that Britt was recently named the second most conservative senator after President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees. According to research by Thomas Jipping from the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies.

“Britt will do what is best for the State of Alabama and the United States of America,” Horn said.

Jon Gray, a Republican Party strategist who lives in coastal Alabama, said he believed Britt’s cautious approach was correct and called on Republicans in Alabama to “give him room to be the leader we elected him to be.”

Gray said Britt would advocate for “thoughtful considerations” on policy issues when he was chief of staff to former U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama. He said his approach to recent personnel matters is consistent with his past.

Gray also said the public should be mindful that Britt and Tuberville disagree in their approaches.

“Tuberville is, without exception, a populist elected official,” Gray said.

“He stays on message and public trends. I think this is really smart. But Britt was on the shortlist to be (Trump’s) VP and spoke at the RNC. He is among the top three to five fundraisers for the U.S. Senate and Republicans nationwide. “You have someone who has worked his way up the political process and seen how the lowest levels of politics worked to move the government forward, and now how the highest levels must work together to help people.”

Reactions

Some local Republican leaders aren’t as upset with Britt’s approach as social media commenters.

“I support Katie Britt and think she’s done a great job for us in the state,” said Jackie Gay, chairwoman of the Escambia County Republican Party in south Alabama.

“We don’t know how you’re going to vote. He’ll go in there, listen, and do what he thinks is best. “I think overall (senators) need to review the process and see how it all turns out.”

Robert Monk, president of the Southern Baldwin County chapter of the Campaign for Common Sense, said Britt and other senators should be allowed to do their constitutional job.

“The job of the Senate is to go through the hearing process, go through the testimony process and vote,” Monk said. “There is a possibility that something will emerge that will surprise people. “However, even if it is not an unexpected situation, I think that at the end of the day, you will vote ‘yes’ for these candidates.”

Matthew Foster, a professorial lecturer at American University in Washington, D.C., said Britt faces a political dilemma because of her strong appeal to suburban and well-educated conservative women who may view Gaetz negatively.

“I think Katie Britt is very strategically trying to use her own story and who she is to appeal to less typical MAGA voters or suburban educated women,” Foster said. “I think Gaetz is clearly going to be toxic among this demographic.”

political background

Another political shift may be in Britt’s past.

in 2017 Shelby says she will write on behalf of a “distinguished Republican” in the special election for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jeff SessionsWhen he was nominated by Trump to be Attorney General. Britt was Shelby’s chief of staff at the time.

Democrat Doug Jones defeated his Republican opponent and former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore by a razor-thin margin. that write-in votes played an important role in the outcome..

Heading into the December election, Moore was facing similar accusations related to Gaetz’s past abuse of underage girls.

Jones’ victory in 2017 Emerged as an issue in 2021 GOP Senate race then-U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Lynda Blanchard said they supported Moore in that contest and criticized Britt for not doing the same. Britt said he was not an Alabama resident at the time and could not vote in the race.

“If someone were to run against Britt (in a future Senate contest), it would be a tactical thing,” Foster said. “This is something he needs to be aware of.”

Moot point?

But the fate of Gaetz’s selection could become a moot point.

Two Republican Senators who previously opposed Trump: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine – expressed initial reservations about the election. Republican Senator Joni Earst of IowaAccording to the old Politico, Gaetz “has his work cut out for him.”

“Politically, the safest thing for a senator like him is to confirm,” said Jewett, of the University of Central Florida.

“I don’t know if this is the best thing for the country because it’s a questionable choice in many ways. He has a history of legal and ethical challenges and accusations that would be highly unusual for any cabinet nominee, let alone the Attorney General, who is the chief legal officer of the entire United States.

He added: “But probably the safer course of action from now on for a Republican senator from a state that loves Trump is to confirm all the nominees.”