first glance u.s. representative mo brook seem exactly kind candidate president donald trump would love see win tuesday republican primary election alabama open u.s. senate seat 63-year-old republican freedom caucus member immigration hardline call opponent luther strange lie luther echo trump penchant bestow insult nickname political foes strange 64 former state attorney general appoint fill senate seat leave vacant jeff sessions become u.s. attorney general trump would like drain swamp brook would like blow say larry powell professor communication university alabama birmingham goals same yet strange brook earn covet prize last week race could measure trump influence state carry easily last year election despite recent indications support among republicans may soften trump take twitter offer strange complete total endorsement tweet come something surprise know big luther thank 6-foot-9-inch 2.1-meter frame strange close alliance senate majority leader mitch mcconnell fire trump fail push agenda congress refuse eliminate filibuster give democrats veto power many key bill strange agree filibuster remain place telephone interview brook note trump follow endorsement strange barrage twitter criticisms aim mcconnell brook call extraordinarily baffle alabama voter want see president trump legislative agenda pass unite state senate would much good serve vote mo brook luther strange brook say president trump entire legislative agenda dead long senate 60-percent rule require president trump get consent democrat leader chuck schumer pass it brook strange may lose third viable candidate nine-way race former alabama supreme court chief justice roy moore 70 lead several voter survey though poll race limit moore strange campaign respond request comment assume candidate reach 50 percent vote top two finishers go head-to-head late september winner heavy favorite whoever emerge democratic primary weeks strange brook lob attack one another insufficiently commit trump advertisements supporters strange highlight brook endorsement texas senator ted cruz president last year well criticism brook make trump time brook founder house representatives far-right freedom caucus survive shoot attack congress members softball practice june fire back attack strange close tie senate leadership strange brook largely ignore moore though strange backers run anti-moore ads recent days think assume moore go make runoff whoever get runoff likely beat powell say moore make name 2003 refuse federal court order remove ten commandments monument state supreme court build lose position win another term 2013 suspend 2016 late resign direct state judge defy u.s. supreme court continue enforce ban same-sex marriage former judge popular among religious conservatives trouble expand base previous campaign governor contender would likely serve reliable republican vote senate little daylight policy position three candidates different intensities flavor say steven taylor political science professor troy university alabama alabama 's senate race contenders fight trump 's big fan