Two Congress members running against each other on March 5 will highlight a forum hosted by the Mobile County Republican Executive Committee on January 15.
U.S. Reps. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) and Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) go face to face at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 15, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. 3900 Airport Boulevard, Mobile.
The forum, with all Republican candidates invited, follows a 5 p.m. meet and greet at the same location. The public is invited. There is no charge, and no ticket is needed. (Anyone who cannot get there for the 5 p.m. meet and greet can attend the 6 p.m. speeches by the candidates.)
After a federal court re-drew Alabama's congressional districts, Carl and Moore ended up living in the same district, District 1. It includes eight counties: Baldwin, Escambia, Covington, Coffee, Geneva, Houston, Henry, and western and southern Mobile County.
It is most unusual to have two incumbent congress members of the same party running against each other. They face off in Alabama's Republican primary on March 5.
Other Republican candidates who have confirmed their appearances for the January 15 forum are listed below. Those who confirm later will be updated:
U.S. Congress District 2 (includes most of downtown Mobile and north Mobile County): Caroleene Dobson, Karla DuPriest, Hampton Davis and Belinda Thomas.
Chief Justice, Alabama Supreme Court: Justice Sarah Stewart.
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals: Thomas Govan.
Alabama Court of Civil Appeals: Incumbent Chad Henson, Stephen Parker.
Circuit Court Judge: Chris Callaghan, Judge Vicki Davis.
District Judge: Johana Bucci, Richard Foreman, and Eucellis Sullivan.
Mobile County Commission, District 2: Doug Harwell and incumbent Connie Hudson.
Mobile County License Commissioner: Nick Matranga and David P’Nut Melton.
Mobile County Circuit Clerk: Sharla Knox and Ashleigh Long.
The Mobile County GOP meets quarterly on the first Monday. This quarter, the first Monday is New Year's Day, and the second Monday is the National Championship football game involving Alabama, so the meeting was set for Monday, January 15.
Speaking in the Republican primary for the first congressional district:
Jerry Carl was elected to Congress in Alabama’s first district in 2020. He is from Mobile and served as Mobile County Commissioner.
Barry Moore was elected to Congress in Alabama’s old second district in 2020. He is from Enterprise and served in the Alabama House of Representatives from Coffee County.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for the second congressional district:
Caroleene Dobson, a Montgomery real estate attorney.
Karla Dupriest, a Mobile restaurant owner.
Hampton Harris, a Montgomery realtor.
Belinda Thomas, a Newton City Council member.
The second congressional district, a new creation of the federal court, goes from the Mississippi line on the west to the Georgia line on the east. It is the "Sausage District," because it is shaped like a partially-eaten link sausage and is the home of Conecuh sausage and Monroe sausage.
It contains 13 counties: Washington, southern Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Montgomery, Pike, Macon, Bullock, Barbour, Russell and parts of northern Mobile County and the city of Mobile.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court:
Sarah Stewart of Mobile, a current associate justice on the Supreme Court.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals:
Thomas Govan, an assistant attorney general.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for Alabama Court of Civil Appeals:
Incumbent civil appeals Judge Chad Hanson of Montgomery and Cullman attorney Stephen Parker.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for Circuit Court Judge of Mobile County:
Attorney Chris Callaghan of Mobile and Circuit Judge Vicki Davis, appointed earlier this year by Gov. Kay Ivey.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for District Court Judge of Mobile County:
Attorney Johana Bucci, attorney Richard Foreman, and attorney Eucellis Sullivan.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for Mobile County Commission, District 2:
Mobile County School Board member Doug Harwell and incumbent Connie Hudson.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for Mobile County License Commissioner:
Incumbent Nick Matranga and former Sheriff’s employee David P’Nut Melton.
Speakers running in the Republican primary for Mobile County Circuit Clerk:
Sharla Knox, appointed Circuit Clerk in January, 2023, and Ashleigh Long, 19-year veteran of Mobile County District Attorney’s office.
Alabama does not have party registration. The March 5 primaries are open primaries. The first question that poll officials will ask a voter on March 5 will be, "Do you want a Democrat ballot or a Republican ballot?" You cannot vote in both primaries. Split ticket voting is allowed in the November 5 general election.
Voters will also vote in a presidential preference primary on March 5. The percentage of votes that each presidential candidate receives will be used to determine how many of Alabama's delegates that candidate gets for the GOP nominating convention in July. The names of the delegate candidates will not appear on the ballot but will be voted on later by the State Republican Executive Committee.
Jim Zeigler is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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