When U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks announced he was running for the Senate on May 15, he acknowledged that one of his challenges would be name recognition outside the Tennessee Valley area where he calls home.

But then there was the shooting on June 14. An enraged fanatic fired upon Brooks and other congressional Republicans while they practiced for a charity baseball game outside Washington, D.C.

Brooks was thrust into the chaos of the moment, and the national spotlight.

He was interviewed by multiple media outlets in the shooting's immediate aftermath. Pictures of a distraught and emotional Brooks were published nationally.

He was spoken about in rather heroic terms for providing his belt as a tourniquet to help one of the injured. Brooks was also among those to immediately attend to the fallen Steve Scalise, the U.S. House Majority Whip from Louisiana who suffered the most severe injuries in the assault. Days later, Brooks' name would appear on the shooter's assassination list.

Politics wasn't discussed in the days after the shooting. But Alabama political observers note that the shooting has become the Senate race's "October surprise" moment, where a national news issue wedges itself into a political campaign.

Internal polling from the campaigns shows a three-man race shaping up for the GOP nomination on Aug. 15, with Brooks narrowly behind current Sen. Luther Strange. Both are trailing former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, but the polling indicates that the race is likely headed for a Sept. 28 runoff.

"You don't have a better introduction to Alabama voters than being a conservative Alabama Republican who was shot at by a Bernie Sanders supporter," said Steve Flowers, an author and political observer whose weekly column appears in over 60 newspapers in Alabama. "How better of an introduction can you get in a Republican primary?"

Flowers suspects that Brooks received "about $1 million worth of free publicity."

Added Jess Brown, a retired political science professor from Athens State University: "He could never have planned it nor have desired it. But that press coverage ... it certainly raised his profile."

'Stressful circumstances'

Indeed, Brooks is aware the shooting thrust him into the public eye at a time when he's running in a crowded race for the Senate. But the June 14 shooting isn't something Brooks is talking about during public appearances at candidate forums or GOP-sponsored events.

"To the extent people have a better awareness of who I am and how I handle myself, when under stressful circumstances, that's probably good information for voters to know," said Brooks, during an interview with AL.com last week. "But if I had my druthers, it would have never happened and my friends would not have been shot."

Brooks said he won't shy away from talking about the shooting during private conversations with constituents. But he's not making a big deal about it while talking on the stump.

He is, however, willing to set the record straight on a few issues surrounding June 14 and its aftermath. Among those is his role in assisting Zack Barth, a legislative aide to Texas Republican Rep. Roger Williams, who was shot in the left calf.

Amid the gunfire, Brooks said he remembers Barth diving in between (Arizona Senator) Jeff Flake and Williams. Brooks was on the ground at the time, to the right of the field's dugout.

Brooks recalls spotting Barth and seeing the gunshot wound. National media reports, shortly after the shooting, claimed that Brooks put the tourniquet on Barth.

"To be clear, with the gun fire that was going around, I didn't reach up or sit up over him and put the tourniquet on," said Brooks, who handed Barth his belt after seeing that he had been shot in the calf saying it "seemed like the right thing to do."

Said Brooks: "I said to him, 'hey, you've been shot.' He says, 'I'm OK. I'm OK.' I said, 'dude, you're not OK. You have a bullet hole in your leg. You've been shot.'"

At this point, Brooks said he removed his belt, and told Barth to use it as a tourniquet to "slow down the blood loss."

"I put the belt on his knee in close proximity and then it got on (Barth)," said Brooks. "He might have had the assistance of Congressman Williams or Flake. When folks say that I put on the tourniquet, on the radio or TV, I don't know whether to correct them or not. I do recall taking the initiative to tell (Barth) this was serious and I took off my belt (so Barth could) use it as a tourniquet."

Brooks said he still doesn't have the belt, and believes it may be in police custody as part of evidence from the crime scene. In what Brooks said was a moment of lighthearted bipartisanship, Madison County Circuit Judge James Smith - a Democrat - bought Brooks a new belt and gave it to him.

"And he got the size right," Brooks said.

'Healing' wounds

Brooks said he's since spoken to Barth. "He's in great shape. It was a clean bullet hole through his left calf from one side to another. It didn't hit any major artery. His muscle will repair. Of the people wounded, he came out very well compared (to others)."

The most seriously injured was Scalise, who remains hospitalized at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

Scalise's condition had improved to fair, and he was moved out of the hospital's intensive care unit in late June to begin an "extended period of healing and rehabilitation," according to national media reports. Scalise returned to the ICU on Wednesday and underwent surgery Thursday for the "management of an infection." His condition is now listed as serious.

Brooks said he's not spoken to Scalise since the shooting. On Wednesday, before Scalise was readmitted to the ICU, Brooks said he wants to wait until his friend is in better condition before visiting him. "I am going to wait until Steve is in much better shape than he is right now. He still has reconstructive surgery to do. He's still bedridden," said Brooks.

The shooter, James Hodgkinson of Belleville, Ill., was killed in the 10-minute shootout with Capitol Hill and Alexandria, Va., police. His widow, 65-year-old Suzanne, told The New York Times last week that she wakes up every morning in hot sweats "feeling guilty because" she didn't stop her husband.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: @RepMoBrooks praises Capital Police for GOP baseball shooting response >> https://t.co/828x2KDaKC pic.twitter.com/Rp0c6W2AY1 — WAFF 48 (@waff48) July 5, 2017

Praying for those injured at this morning's practice. I'm especially thankful to the US Capitol Police who risked their lived to protect us. — Mo Brooks (@RepMoBrooks) June 14, 2017

James Hodgkinson reportedly left his Illinois home and traveled alone to Washington, D.C., months before the shooting. He told his widow he was leaving to advocate against GOP attempts at tax reform.

Brooks said he hopes the widow, who reportedly has been threatened and hides from public view, recovers from the "emotional wounds" she's suffered.

"Unless she was bluntly warned of the assassins attempts when he left Illinois for Virginia, then there is not much she could have done," said Brooks. "I don't know of anything that says the assassin told his wife he was going to Washington to kill anyone. That's what I mean by bluntly warned. What I know is that she wasn't at fault in any way, shape or form and should harbor no guilt as a consequence."

'Threat matrix'

Brooks, meanwhile, has returned to normalcy on the campaign trail except for one noticeable exception - increased security. The beefed-up security was noticeable at a recent candidates' forum in Huntsville, attended by around 300 people. More than a half-dozen security officers were present, as was a bomb-sniffing dog.

"I very much appreciate the additional law enforcement that has been provided at our candidate forums," said Brooks. "I appreciate the mayors and sheriffs understanding the threat matrix out there and responding accordingly."

Brooks was criticized by the public and media outlets including AL.com for not hosting town hall meetings earlier this year while the GOP debated major changes to the 2010 Affordable Care Act commonly called Obamacare. The House has since passed its own version of repealing and replacing Obamacare, but the Senate has still yet to act.

Brooks said it was pointless to host the town halls because he still believes they are not productive, accusing left-wing activists of disrupting events elsewhere and from preventing "productive political discourse."

Secondly, he said there are "increasing safety risks" associated with the events. He referenced Capitol Police reports of at least 950 cases of "threatening communications" directed at members of the House, which has already surpassed the total cases investigated in all of 2016.

Brooks, instead, said his strategy is to meet with business groups or civic organizations to speak and meet with constituents.

"In that kind of setting, you've got the organization and its members who keep track of who is actually there," he said. "You don't have to worry as much about a lone wolf assassin or terrorists being part of the crowd."

Campaign trail

Brooks has stuck to his policy points while speaking on the campaign trail since June 14. A member of the House's conservative Freedom Caucus, Brooks is a darling among TV and radio talk show personalities like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham. They, along with Mark Levin, have endorsed his candidacy.

Prior to the shooting, Brooks was becoming more well-known for his sometimes shocking statements. He's pushed the term "war on whites" to accuse the Democratic Party in its criticism of former Alabama Senator and current U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. On health care, Brooks has said that people who "live good lives" should pay less for coverage.

He's doubled down on gun rights since the June 14 shooting, announcing that he would introduce legislation to allow members of Congress to carry concealed weapons no matter where they are in the U.S.

Some Democrats, including Birmingham's Doug Jones -- who is running for the Democratic nomination to the Senate -- oppose Brooks' proposal, claiming that the timing for its introduction should not occur right after a shooting.

Brooks said the legislation was drafted "over a year ago," but its introduction was sparked by the shooting and the rise in threats against congressmen.

But Brooks said that increased partisanship rancor before and after last year's presidential election isn't something that warrants alarm.

He said that "heated public policy debate" is the "norm" for America, and cited recent past eras that include the 1960s with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert and Martin Luther King Jr.; the 1970s with the assassination attempt of President Gerald Ford and former Alabama Gov. George Wallace; the 1980s with the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan; and more recent times with the election of President Barack Obama.

"This is not new for America," Brooks said. "I suspect it will continue for decades to come. It's unfortunate, but it's a part of living in a republic that understands the value of the Second Amendment to bear arms."

He added, "People, unfortunately, take intense public policy discourse as a license to try and kill their political foes rather than persuade them. That's the history of America. Heck, in the early 1800s, Alexander Hamilton was shot in a duel."

'Has momentum'



Political observers note that Brooks' rising public profile has launched him into the top tier of candidates for the Senate's GOP nomination. Those internal campaign polls show Roy Moore leading the field of 10 GOP hopefuls, with second place up for grabs between Strange and Brooks.

"Big Luther has big money. Roy Moore has a very dedicated core constituency that will turn out the vote for him come hell or high water," said Brown, the retired Athens State University professor. "Mo Brooks has momentum."

A runoff is required if no one garners more than 50 percent of the vote during the primary. The polling shows no one candidate receiving more than 40 percent support.

The general election is Dec. 12.

Brooks, meanwhile, is campaigning statewide and recently made a swing through coastal Alabama where - prior to June 14 - his name recognition was relatively low compared to Moore, Strange and State Senator Trip Pittman, who is the only coastal Alabama Republican running for the Senate seat.

Brooks will join his Republican rivals for a candidates' forum July 15 in Robertsdale.

Michael Hoyt, chairman of the Baldwin County GOP, said Brooks "is certainly more well-known now" than he was in May.

"In just speaking as a citizen, he certainly garnered some name recognition," said Hoyt.

Added Brown, the retired Athens State University professor: "Strange has the statewide name recognition. Clearly, Roy Moore has statewide name recognition. Brooks had name recognition north of Cullman. But the truth is, Brooks, in the 48 hours after that (shooting) occurred, was available on the main cable news networks. That was a big deal for him."

Brooks says he has approximately $1.4 million in the bank to campaign on, which is much less than Strange who has benefited from financial support from two super PACs and who is backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Brooks said he doesn't plan to go "negative" in the concluding month of the primary race, unless he's attacked. He has called Strange's backers as "swamp critters," a reference to President Donald Trump's popular 2016 campaign line of wanting to "drain the swamp" in Washington, D.C.

"I have no control over what super PAC's do," said Brooks. "I am going to focus on my strengths. I'll let the other candidates worry about how best to balance their strengths and weaknesses."