Many GOP Voters Still Undecided on Senate Candidates
The forum Sunday was at a firearms training facility in Trussville, so it wasn’t surprising as the candidates took questions from the audience that shots rang out in the background. Four candidates attended at the GOP Senate forum: incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, Bryan Peeples, Randy Brinson and Congressman Mo Brooks. They wanted to win votes. But as they hashed out issues from abortion to concealed carry laws, many voters left undecided.
Doug Atkins, a retired 9-1-1- operator from Hueytown, realizes the clock is ticking; the special Senate primary election is a week away on August 15th. But for him, it’s still between two candidates: former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore or Congressman Mo Brooks.
Moore wasn’t at Sunday’s forum. A campaign representative said he instead attended a religious rally in Mobile put on by several churches in his honor. Atkins said if Strange makes a run-off, he’s voting for the other candidate—whomever it is. “Senator Strange, I just, there’s just something about him that I would trust somebody else,” Atkins says.
Judy Pate, who owns a cleaning business in St. Clair County, walked into the debate almost sure she was going to vote for Strange in the primary. And she still might. “But after hearing all the candidates, I’m hearing new things that I didn’t know about them, so I’m not locked in,” she says.
Now that she’s heard from more candidates, Pate is keeping her options open. She was especially enamored of Randy Brinson, a gastroenterologist and former head of the Alabama Christian Coalition. Brinson was a virtual unknown to her prio to Sunday. She says over the next week, she has a lot more research and praying to do.
She isn’t the only one with plans to devour information on the candidates over the coming week. Michele Boyd, of Alabaster, says she was impressed with all four candidates present, and one who wasn’t: Alabama Senator Trip Pittman. She’d heard him in an interview last week. “I was disappointed he wasn’t able to be here today, so there are some things I still want to research,” Boyd says.
Looking to get to know the candidates better yourself? Here’s a link to the candidate profiles produced by BirminghamWatch.
Crew of fatal US military crash included Alabama father recently deployed
The six U.S. service members who died in the crash of a U.S. military refueling aircraft included an Alabama father who had just been promoted and deployed. The U.S. government released the identities of the deceased service members Saturday.
Alabama poised to drastically overhaul utility regulation. Will it lower electric bills?
The Alabama Senate unanimously voted to expand the public service commission, and create a Secretary of Energy to address rising electricity prices. A bill in the House would go even further, requiring rate case hearings and limiting utility profits.
Musher from Alabama is going for back-to-back Iditarod wins
Riches and paid appearances haven’t followed Jessie Holmes since he won the world’s most famous sled dog race, the Iditarod, last year. He doesn't mind.
Bill would move Alabama to closed primaries
Right now, any Alabama voter can participate in a primary election. Lawmakers in Montgomery took up a bill this week that would change that system.
Auburn football player uses NIL funds to open a community hub in Birmingham
Jourdin Crawford, a freshman defensive lineman at Auburn, used earnings from a Name, Image, and Likeness deal to give back to his hometown.
Ivey commutes death sentence of inmate whose accomplice fired fatal shot
Charles “Sonny” Burton was sentenced to death for the killing of Doug Battle during a 1991 robbery. However, another man shot Battle when Burton had left the building.
