Jared Hudson is running for sheriff of Jefferson County on the Republican ticket, and he believes the office of sheriff is more critical than many people think.
A former Navy SEAL and founder of both the Shooting Institute and the Covenant Rescue Group, Hudson said he plans to use his years of military and law enforcement experience to protect citizens’ constitutional rights and make Jefferson County a safe place to raise a family.
On Thursday, he sat down with the co-hosts of the “Alabama Unfiltered” podcast Scott Beason and Allison Sinclair to discuss why he’s running and how vital a good sheriff can be.
Hudson began by giving a history lesson on the position of sheriff, the first elected office in America. Before that, the British crown would appoint sheriffs. So in the late 1600s, when citizens decided to choose one instead, it represented a major power shift, Hudson said, from the government to the people.
"Your government is not the answer," he said. "God is ultimately the answer, I believe as a Christian man — God and the personal Jesus Christ — but the answer in our nation is you. It's not a governor. It's not a sheriff. It's not a legislator; it's not a president. The answer is you."
Hudson explained how sheriffs were added to state constitutions in the following years and how, even today, sheriffs are the citizens' direct link to executive leadership.
"The bottom line for the sheriff, at least in the state of Alabama, it's an executive branch of government, so it's the closest executive form of government to the people," Hudson said "… So the closest executive form of government to the people of Jefferson County will be the Jefferson County Sheriff. That's going to be the one to impact you the most, either positively or negatively."
Hudson said a sheriff's job is not just to enforce the law but also to interpret it based on the constitution.
"If the code impedes on the constitution, I lean on the constitution," he said. "Because the constitution is king, the law is king. No one is above the law."
The Jefferson County sheriff's election will be held during the midterm election on November 8. Voters will choose between Hudson and his Democratic opponent Mark Pettway, seeking reelection.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com.
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