Former Congressman Mo Brooks Enters Alabama House District 20 Race After $100K Fundraising Push

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (BuzzReport) — Former U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks has officially entered the race for Alabama House District 20, qualifying Friday after supporters met his challenge to raise $100,000 to launch the campaign.

The move sets up a Republican primary showdown with incumbent State Rep. James Lomax.

Brooks, 71, filed his qualifying papers at Republican Party headquarters, marking a return to state-level politics more than four decades after he first won a seat in the Alabama House in 1982. After stepping away from office following an unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid, Brooks now says he is answering calls to return to public service.

“I was urged to come out of retirement,” Brooks said, adding that he agreed to run only if supporters could raise $100,000 exclusively from Alabama citizens, without strings attached or special-interest PAC involvement.

The fundraising threshold was met, clearing the way for his candidacy.

Brooks represented Alabama’s 5th Congressional District from 2011 until 2023 before losing the Republican Senate primary to Katie Britt. His entry into the District 20 race brings name recognition, experience, and renewed energy to what is expected to be a closely watched primary contest.