ORANGE BEACH — The rain did not stop over 1,000 people from showing up for the highly anticipated Orange Beach Mayoral debate on Tuesday.
The event was hosted by 1819 News and featured incumbent Mayor Tony Kennon and challenger and Councilman Jeff Boyd at the Orange Beach Event Center.
"I thought it went great," Boyd told 1819 News after the debate. "I got to speak my mind. I got to tell where my real pain points are, and I got to let people see why I'm running for office in Orange Beach a why I think I can do a much better job."
"I felt like tonight went essentially as I thought it would," Kennon told 1819 News. "We had rules and I thought everybody tried to stick to them except my opponent, and he wanted to go off into the sleaze factor, which we'd agree not to do because you can't really defend yourself in two minutes, but that's OK. I think the people saw it for what it was, and see that it's a coordinated, orchestrated, muscling, sleaze campaign."
Kennon won a coin toss at the beginning of the debate and chose to close out the debate in closing remarks. Boyd gave his opening remarks first.
"My platform is faith, freedom, and family," Boyd said in opening statements. "I stand on my faith. It is the number one thing in my life, and I'm proud of it. Your families are what make this city."
"I consider myself a businessman and a public servant," Kennon said in opening statements. "I make my decisions based on common sense, logic, reason, facts, and numbers. Votes, favorites, politics, doesn't matter to me. Everything revolves around enhanced quality of life."
Topics asked about by moderator Jeff Poor included infrastructure and growth, schools, the candidates' stances on important issues, annexations, roadways and bridges, finances and public safety.
Kennon said he is a diplomat and a statesman when necessary, but he is also a "bulldog" when he has to be. However, Boyd said he has witnessed Kennon going on tirades when things don't go his way. Boyd said he would handle business differently.
"I can sit here and listen to this. Guys, I wouldn't be here if I didn't think these were lies," Boyd said in closing. "Y'all know what's out there. You know how many questions. You want to go talk to people? Go talk to the police department alone. Get them by their side asking the truth. There's guys all over that police department that are scared to death of their job, and they don't know what to say."
"If you're going to hold the standard of the police department, I mean, you want to talk about a second office, if any other employee in this city would have been at that office at one o'clock in the morning, they'd have been fired on the spot," he continued. "Where's the double standard? I don't get invited to that office. I'm here today to show you I care about this city. I care about our school, our traffic, our growth."
"We are a sanctuary city for families and family values," Kennon said in closing. "Our neighborhoods are our sanctuaries and we have sought to protect them for 17 years. Our community is a community of God-fearing, gun-toting, Constitution-defending American patriots. We are the Mayberry at the beach. We have issues to deal with. I understand that. We have growth, but we cannot let growth change us or turn us into something we're not. Everyone is welcome here, but don't come here and try to change us."
The debate became heated at times, but both candidates were pleased with the opportunity to speak to voters.
"I think it was great to be able to rebut," said Kennon. "I think 1819 was very, very fair in what you did. Thank you. And I think it was needed. Sometimes the facts are very difficult. They're painful. I don't want to be speaking them. But if the people don't see that and don't know it, they need to know it before they choose their next mayor."
"I don't know if I did a good job, but I know that it was run very well," said Boyd. "Jeff Poor did a great job. He was very fair, and it was a great event, and I can't complain about it in any way, form or fashion. I just thank you all for doing."
The full debate will be made available on 1819News.com.
1819 News and sponsors presented the debate free of charge for constituents. To support 1819 News, sign up for exclusive content and help make more community events possible.
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