SHEFFIELD — The Colbert County Republican Women’s Club (CCRW) recently welcomed several of the statewide and federal candidates ahead of the May 19 primary election.
Because this would be the last opportunity to hear from the candidates before their scheduled meetings, CCRW president Susanne Pugh invited Republican women from Franklin and Lauderdale Counties to join the meeting to hear the contenders.
Candidates in attendance were Tommy Barnes, who is running in the primary against District 4 U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), U.S. Senate candidates Jared Hudson and Seth Burton, State House District 1 candidate Maurice McCaney, and state auditor candidate Derek Chen. U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) was unable to attend, so his surrogate, Jennifer Colburn, spoke on his behalf regarding his U.S. Senate campaign.
Jared Hudson was the first to make his case for why he is running for Senate. He pointed to the chaos in Washington, D.C., the affordability crisis and the selfishness of an elected class that collects a paycheck while workers tasked with keeping the country safe go without one.
Hudson said, “Every time we turn on the TV, we see the chaos in Washington, D.C., and we see how that impacts us in our lives right here. The reason is because for far too long we've had career politicians that climb a ladder to serve themselves as opposed to the people they're elected to represent. They ride the coattails of men and women far greater than them, and they stand on the shoulders of giants claiming that they're flying. They make backroom deals with special interest groups, and they go, and they serve themselves as opposed to We the People.”
Hudson committed that he would lead with an Alabama-first mindset, champion legislation that aided affordability and support federal term limits.
Colburn made her appeal for Moore as the state's next U.S. Senator on the basis of three things: Moore’s conservative voting record, the relationships he has already forged with fellow legislators and policy makers, and the fact that he can hit the ground running.
Coburn stated, “We don't know how the other candidates will vote, but with him, we know for sure. It's a key difference in the other candidates."
“We don't have a lot of time," she added. "Once they get sworn into office in November, to be able to have those relationships and have the endorsement of J.D. Vance, our vice president, the endorsement of Donald Trump. We need people day one to get the job done and get on board and be ready to go.”
Former Navy Commander Seth Burton has had less name recognition and media coverage than some of the other Republican candidates seeking the U.S. Senate seat. However, he was no less committed to giving Alabamians a choice other than career politicians or Montgomery-adjacent candidates.
Burton took the time to share his origin story and Naval career.
“Part of knowing who you're putting your trust in, you have to know a little bit about them. It's a human-to-human thing,” Burton said.
A unique aspect of that story is that Burton has carried a small jar of Alabama clay around the world with him and on every naval mission as an expression of his deep ties to the state.
“It's been all over the world,” Burton said.
“I can't tell you all the cool places it's been, but it's been there," he continued. "I just love Alabama. I’ve lived East Coast, West Coast, Germany, but there's something magical about this place. I'm so proud of it. I'm so glad to be back.”
Once Burton’s introduction was complete, he got down to brass tacks: why he is running for Senate. Burton touted his national security and geopolitical background, his aims to rein in the regulatory state and that he will fight for election integrity and also support term limits.
Burton also highlighted how his unique background and skill set would complement the strengths of soon-to-be-senior U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery).
Burton concluded, “I just hope that you will look at all six candidates. Don't look at just the ones the media is telling you about, the ones that have a million dollars. Because I will tell you, the ones that haven't been paid for are going to be the most loyal to you as a senator.”
Barnes hopes to unseat the longtime District 4 representative, Aderholt, and spoke about his desire to serve the district.
“This is all about having a time of my life, because the time of my life is when I'm serving people,” Barnes said.
Barnes is a proponent of election reform and term limits, and he said the younger generation seemed hopeful about this.
“There's a new wave of optimism that's creating a little bit of more desire for young people to vote and things of that nature,” Barnes surmised.
“So, with that comes adrenaline for this 67-year-old guy that's not going to fade when I'm elected," he concluded. "Two terms will probably put me in a position to set the direction of District 4, and then someone else will come in and ride the coattails and do a good job.
Attorney Derek Chen had filed to run for state auditor in what he thought would be an open seat. As 1819 News reported, incumbent State Auditor Andrew Sorrell chose at the last minute to drop his bid for Secretary of State and qualify for re-election to the role.
Chen appeared unfazed by this, affirming to the audience, as he had to 1819 News when he qualified for the ballot, that he would focus on grassroots connections with voters.
Chen also began with his origin story as a first-generation American-born son of Chinese refugees, and how his family’s struggles to get to the United States, and this gift of American citizenship, have taught him that it should not be taken for granted and must be protected by those who serve in public office.
As state auditor, Chen has committed to removing Chinese-made drones from Alabama’s inventory. Chen also considers it critical that the registrars he would appoint be constitutional conservatives.
“It’s really important to me, because it's personal to me,” he said.
“You know we have to hold the government accountable, we have to preserve freedom and liberty, and our Constitution and our Bill of Rights, because when my family fled the threat of an authoritarian regime, they came to the United States of America," Chen continued. "If we lose our freedoms here at home, where do we go?”
Chen emphasized the importance of electing candidates at the local and state level who are conservative and constitutionally sound.
“And so that's why it's so important that we get strong constitutional conservatives at all levels of government, not just the federal government,” he said.
“Because oftentimes the focus is put on just the federal positions like president, Senate, House, but it's also important that we get strong constitutional conservatives that are true believers in freedom and liberty in state positions and in local positions as well.”
Chancellor and educator Maurice McCaney is running to unseat 11-year incumbent State Rep. Phillip Pettus (R-Killen). McCaney spoke less about what he would do and more about making an informed decision when citizens go to cast their vote.
“Again, my challenge to you is that on May 19, please do something uncomfortable. Do your homework. Be an educated voter. But do something uncomfortable, and that is buck the trend," he urged. "Don't just give in to the system, and make a conservative effort to question some of these incumbents about their voting record.”
McCaney has posted on his campaign website the voting record of other representatives, some of which he deemed “appalling.” McCaney said of his District 1 opponent, “Do you know that my opponent voted for free college tuition for illegal aliens?”
McCaney concluded, "Do the thing that's right. Don't leave your principles outside the voting booth. Make sure that you're voting for a candidate that reflects your values. A candidate who you know will have the moral fortitude and the spiritual backbone to do what's right.”
Jennifer Oliver O'Connell, As the Girl Turns, is an investigative journalist, author, opinion analyst, and contributor to 1819 News, Redstate, and other publications. Jennifer writes on Politics and Pop Culture, with occasional detours into Reinvention, Yoga, and Food. You can read more about Jennifer's world at her As the Girl Turns website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram.
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