The race for Alabama’s 31st district seat is entertaining two primary candidates: Chadwick Smith and Troy Stubbs.
House District 31 covers Elmore County and is currently occupied by Mike Holmes. Holmes will be vacating his seat at the end of this term, leaving it open for new candidates.
Smith is new to politics, previously finding success working in cybersecurity, while Stubbs is the Chairman of the Elmore County Commission. Stubbs and his wife Jenny have been married 21 years and are owners of Frios Gourmet Pops in historic downtown Wetumpka.
Smith decided to enter politics after being forced to go to court after his son was attacked in a public school.
“I had to go to court, for the first time, to defend him,” Smith said. "I realized at that moment, I got to do something.
“At the end of the day, I’m a constitutionalist. I believe that the founding fathers wrote our documents the way they intended them to be read. We don’t need to reinterpret them for today. We need to read them as they were written, and why they were written the way they were. I’m also a guy that does not believe that we need to be teaching transgender things in school. We don’t need this [critical race theory] mess in our school. We as parents need to educate our children as to what their sexuality is."
Smith opposes abortion, the teaching of transgender topics in school and increasing property taxes. He also supports medical autonomy, the second amendment and veteran support.
Smith is also a supporter of medical marijuana, stating he believes it is a valuable tool for addressing various illnesses and symptoms.
1819 News asked Smith what he thought would set him apart from Stubbs.
“The number one thing is, I’m a follower of Jesus Christ; he’s a Mormon,” Smith said. "The number two thing is, I’m not a politician; I’m a statesman. I’m not going to tell you what you want to hear to get your vote.”
Smith believes that he and other representatives could address the fears of impending nationwide food shortages.
“I believe we should be immediately engaging the Department of Agriculture and Industries,” Smith said. “I believe that if I were to engage with Commissioner Rick Pate and his team, we could come up with a plan to increase wheat, corn and other staple food items to protect Alabama from the impacts of hunger and inflation on food. I don’t know of anyone else that is considering this kind of future thinking in government today. I think this is the kind of consideration that I would bring to the State House that could have a tangible impact and not just be another person there trying to get the next bill passed.”
Stubbs believes that he has many ideological similarities with his opponent but that his experience serving Elmore County sets him apart.
Stubbs also rejected Smith’s assertion that he was not a follower of Jesus Christ. Stubbs stated that he and members of his family have served in overseas missions to Russia and Ukraine, and his family celebrates traditional holidays like Christmas and Easter. His son Isaac was serving a mission in Ukraine and was evacuated before the Russian assault.
“I’m dedicated to this community in many ways,” Stubbs said. “I’ve invested in our community as a small business owner, I have served nearly six years as the Chairman of the County Commission, I’ve taught math in our Elmore County Public Schools, and I am an active and engaged member of the community. For me, serving in the state legislature will be a continuation of my commitment to our great county, not a starting point.”
Maintaining a vibrant economy is also a priority for Stubbs. He has said that developing positive, mutually beneficial relationships with corporate partners will lead to an improved quality of life for everyone.
Stubbs will also seek to adequately supply and equip teachers to do their job, and he opposes the teaching of critical race theory in the classroom.
Supporting law enforcement, improving hospitals and increasing broadband infrastructure are also priorities for Stubbs’ campaign.
“I am fully committed to preserving the Second Amendment rights of citizens as outlined in the Bill of Rights,” Stubbs said. “I am pro-life and believe in the rights of unborn children. I also support the selfless families in Alabama that open their homes to foster children and adoption.
I am fiscally conservative and have experience managing public funds as the chairman of the county commission. I fully support free markets and the principles of capitalism which promote competition and reward risk-takers.”
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
