Katie Britt
Katie Elizabeth Boyd Britt (born February 2, 1982 in Enterprise, Dale County) is an attorney, former chief of staff to U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, and former CEO of the Business Council of Alabama. She is a candidate in the 2022 Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat left open by Shelby's retirement.
Britt is the daughter of Julian and Debra Boyd of Enterprise and grew up working in their hardware store. She was a cheerleader at Enterprise High School, twice named "Cheerleader of the Year" at the World Cheerleading Association's National Championships. She also competed in beauty pageants and won the Little Miss National Peanut Festival sash, and was later crowned Alabama's Junior Miss, representing Coffee County in 2000. In the national pageant she performed a jazz aerobic dance to "The Electric Horsemen" and discussed her appreciation of The Dixie Chicks in the interview session. She was first runner-up to America's Junior Miss winner Jesika Henderson of Utah.
She served as president of the Student Government Association at the University of Alabama and co-founded the Alabama Youth Summit. She completed her bachelor of science in political science and government in 2004. After graduating she took a job as press secretary to Senator Shelby and also worked as an advisor to University president Robert Witt in 2007. She married former Alabama and then-New England Patriots offensive tackle Wesley Britt on March 8, 2008. He was released from the Patriots' roster in 2009 and joined Alabama Power Company as an economic development representative. The couple have two sons, Bennett and Ridgeway.
Katie Britt completed a juris doctorate at the University of Alabama School of Law in 2013 and began practicing with the firm of Johnston Barton Proctor & Rose. When that firm went bankrupt in 2014 she moved with several colleagues to the Birmingham office of Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Butler Snow. She was transferred to the firm's Montgomery office to work in state governmental affairs before leaving in 2016 to serve as Deputy Campaign Manager and Spokeswoman for Shelby's re-election campaign. She was subsequently made his chief of staff.
In December 2018 Britt was chosen to succeed Billy Canary as president and CEO if the Business Council of Alabama. She resigned that position before announcing her candidacy for Shelby's seat after he announced his retirement. Senator Shelby endorsed Britt as his successor and her campaign fund ballooned in the early summer, provoking attacks from Brooks and former President Donald Trump. As the campaign continued, she embraced former Trump's claims of a stolen presidential election and visited with him at Mar-a-Lago to seek his support.
References
- Brand, Carole (June 29, 2000) "Enterprise Claims Proud Daughter: Katie Boyd wins first runner-up in America's Junior Miss." The Southeast Sun
- Faulk, Kent (March 14, 2014) "Turn out the lights: Birmingham's Johnston Barton Proctor and Rose law firm shutting down." The Birmingham News
- Cason, Mike (December 7, 2018) "Katie Britt chosen as first woman to lead Business Council of Alabama." The Birmingham News
- "Shelby endorses Britt in Alabama Senate race." (June 11, 2021) Associated Press
- Britt, Bill (July 11, 2021) "Trump attack aims to slow Britt’s momentum; Brooks in panic." Alabama Political Reporter
- Britt, Bill (February 18, 2022) "Former president Trump meets with U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt at Mar-a-Lago." Alabama Political Reporter
- Orr, Gabby & Melanie Zanona (February 25, 2022) "Trump may offer help to Katie Britt in Alabama Senate primary -- even though he's already endorsed Mo Brooks." CNN.com
- Whites-Koditschek, Sarah (March 23, 2022) "Katie Britt sees ‘fraud’ in Trump’s election loss, vows to work for Alabama if elected to Senate." The Birmingham News
External links
- Katie Britt campaign website