Pamela Casey, the third-place Republican candidate for attorney general who was defeated last week in the Republican primary, has endorsed her former opponent, former Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell, in the upcoming runoff election.
Mitchell and Alabama AG's office chief counsel Katherine Robertson advanced to a runoff election after last week's Republican primary, with Robertson securing 40.5% of the vote over Mitchell's 34.4%. Casey came in third, securing just 25.1% of the vote (116,930).
The pair will now go to a runoff on June 14 to determine who will carry the Republican Party's nomination into the November general election.
Robertson and Mitchell set themselves apart in the race, with both making hefty accusations against the other.
SEE ALSO: Accusations continue to fly between Jay Mitchell and Katherine Robertson in heated AG race
In her endorsement, Case expressed her belief in Mitchell's experience over Robertson, and also echoed some of Mitchell's accusations regarding the funding of Robertson's campaign.
This election is ultimately about who is best prepared to serve the people of Alabama moving forward. At the end of the day, I believe Alabama deserves an Attorney General who has actual courtroom and legal experience," Casey said.
She continued, "I am deeply concerned about the role dark money and outside interests played in this race. The other candidate in this runoff has received millions of dollars from outside sources in a manner that prevents Alabamians from fully knowing who is funding her campaign. Parents often say, 'Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future.' In politics, I believe the same principle applies: show me who financially supports a campaign, and I will show you the future direction of that office. The problem is that we do not know exactly who is funding her campaign or why. "
Though endorsing Mitchell, Casey also publicly stated that she found some of Mitchell's attack ads "distasteful."
"Let me say this plainly: I found two of the commercials run by Jay's campaign in the primary to be distasteful and unbecoming," Casey wrote. "I spoke directly with Jay about those ads. He assured me that his focus moving forward will be on the extensive legal and courtroom experience that qualifies him to serve as Attorney General."
Mitchell approved of the endorsement, stating he was honored to receive the nod ahead of the June 16 runoff.
Pam Casey is an outstanding prosecutor and has shown herself to be a fierce, fair competitor throughout this race," Mitchell said. "She believes—as I do—that the AG's Office should not be for sale. It was a privilege to share the campaign trail with Pam and her family, and it's my distinct honor to carry her endorsement into this runoff."
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