Christian Coalition head Randy Brinson makes Senate bid

April 24--Dr. Randy Brinson on Monday announced he will seek the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, adding another name into a rapidly crowding field of challengers to U.S. Sen. Luther Strange.

Brinson, the head of the Christian Coalition of Alabama and Redeem the Vote, said in a Facebook statement Monday he had insight into voters' frustrations with "the corruption, self-dealing, and venality of politicians at all levels of our government."

"I am looking forward to working with a preeminent campaign team and running a modern, well-funded campaign that will draw a contrast between myself, as a voter advocate and faith leader, and the incumbent, and other career politicians running for this office," the statement said. Brinson said he would step down from the Christian Coalition and Redeem the Vote to run for the seat.

Brinson's announcement will bring someone with contacts in the faith-based community into the high-profile Republican primary. But it could also revive old questions about the Christian Coalition of Alabama's connections with the gambling industry.

A gastroenterologist by trade, Brinson founded Redeem the Vote in 2003 as a way to register faith-based voters. The organization claimed to register 78,000 voters during the 2004 presidential election. Redeem the Vote claims a large mailing list, which it has used in the past to back its preferred candidates.

The group in late March announced a plan to take an "anti-corruption message" against Gov. Robert Bentley, who resigned earlier this month amid a scandal involving an affair with a staffer; Strange, who interviewed for the Senate appointment while his office was investigating Bentley; and allies of former House Speaker Mike Hubbard, convicted in June on 12 felony ethics charges and removed from office.

"We have a message, it is this: we are not going to take it anymore," Brinson said in a statement at the time.

Brinson took the helm of the Christian Coalition in 2006 amid a bitter split between the state and national Christian Coalition over legislative priorities. The group was also under fire after congressional investigations in 2005 revealed that in 2000 it accepted $850,000 from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, who run casinos in that state, after it first passed through Americans for Tax Reform, a Washington D.C.-based group.

Under Brinson's leadership, the Christian Coalition of Alabama tried to find ways to work with both parties. In 2007, Brinson supported legislation to limit electronic bingo to Birmingham and Mobile dog tracks while increasing penalties for illegal gambling machines. Brinson argued the organization was not endorsing gambling, but supporting a bill he said would keep it contained.

But the CCA's decision was sharply criticized by Christian Action Alabama, headed by former CCA director John Giles, who accused gambling owners, including VictoryLand's Milton McGregor, of taking control of the organization. Brinson later sued Giles for taking asset of the old organization with him. The lawsuit was later dropped.

Brinson, who always maintained the CCA did not support gambling, later criticized Gov. Bob Riley's controversial gambling raids in 2009 and 2010. The Associated Press reported in 2010 that the Christian Coalition accepted $12,500 from two political action committees funded by gambling interests. Brinson told the AP that he did not know how the PACs were funded and said the Christian Coalition would stop accepting money from PACs.

Brinson has criticized "activist judges" and supported anti-abortion legislation as chairman of the Christian Coalition of Alabama. He has also criticized Alabama's regressive tax system and colleges in general for treating athletes "as a commodity." In 2014, Brinson criticized an amendment to the state Constitution banning sharia law, which he said was "just silliness."

The Christian Coalition head won't be alone in running for the U.S. Senate. Strange will run for the seat, and Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, said he will also seek the party's nomination. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, suspended for ordering the state's probate judges to not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples -- and a likely contender for the faith-based voters Brinson will seek -- should announce his plans Wednesday.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston; U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville; Sens. Slade Blackwell, R-Montevallo and Trip Pittman, R-Montrose and Alabama Trump campaign co-chair Perry Hooper Jr. are also considering runs.

Prominent Democrats are avoiding the race. The only declared Democrat so far is medical marijuana advocate Ron Crumpton, who lost a challenge to Sen. Richard Shelby by a nearly two-to-one margin.

The party primaries for the seat will take place Aug. 15. Any needed runoffs for the nominations will take place Sept. 26, with the general election scheduled for Dec. 12.

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