FAIRHOPE — The Eastern Shore Republican Women hosted two U.S. Senate candidates on Thursday.
Jared Hudson and Morgan Murphy attended the event. Steve Marshall was unable to attend due to travel delays from Washington, D.C., and U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) was in session.
The candidates were asked about their backgrounds, their priorities, plans to improve affordability and how they would make policy decisions.
Hudson, a Navy SEAL sniper, said he was willing to give his life for his country and to dedicate his life to the people.
"I'm not a career politician telling you that I can go to D.C. and fight on your behalf," said Hudson. "I'm a real warrior who's fought for this nation, shot people for this nation and stood beside men far greater than me. I can go to D.C. and fight for you. Send a warrior to Washington."
Murphy, a Navy Reserve captain who has worked for U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and President Donald Trump, said he knows what he's doing in Washington because he has been there.
"I can go into the Senate day one and be effective because I know how Washington works," said Murphy.
Murphy said there are three ways to be successful in the U.S. Senate: Be there for three terms, be famous and know what you are doing.
Murphy's priority would be bringing manufacturing to Alabama. Hudson's priorities would be affordability, national security and working with U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) on public and private investments.
After working for Forbes, Murphy said he can see how much Trump has curbed inflation in his first 11 months in office, but said the messaging needs to improve.
"We had the worst inflation in American history under Joe Biden, and I was there at ringside seat with Coach Tuberville and watched it all," he said. "Now, I have a degree. I have an MBA, and I've worked at Forbes, as I mentioned, so I know the economy. Listening to most politicians talk about economics is like watching squirrels try to write Shakespeare. It's rough. But I can tell you the key is growth. And this last quarter, it is not getting enough message. I hope you take, as Republicans, take this message about what President Trump is doing and take it back to your folks."
As the founder of Covenant Rescue Group, an anti-human trafficking non-profit, Hudson added that illegal immigration has added to a scourge of human trafficking and child exploitation.
"Recently, we arrested somebody who had a young lady tied up in a trailer not far from where I live in Birmingham, Alabama," Hudson said. "And he had to be deported back to where he was from. As a law enforcement officer, I've dealt with what the ICE is dealing with now, having to point guns at vehicles saying, 'Please don't run me over with your car,' and, 'I don't want to kill you,' because they're breaking the laws of the communities that we have in this great state, this great nation."
Hudson said he would work to continue to bring criminals to justice.
Following the forum, 1819 News asked both candidates if they would do anything different than Tuberville. Both had the same answer: "No."
The Republican primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 19, with the primary runoff election scheduled for Tuesday, June 16. The general election will take place on Tuesday, November 3.
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