DOTHAN — On Tuesday, the Houston County Republican Party hosted a candidate forum in downtown Dothan, ahead of the May 19 primary.
Several incumbent candidates were in attendance, including State Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva), who noted at the beginning of his remarks that he had just come in from Montgomery due to the special legislative session announced by Gov. Kay Ivey last week.
The special session was in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais on racial gerrymandering.
Chesteen commented on the proceedings, saying, "We will do everything we can in our power to get two more congressional seats that are red in this state."
When asked about the current redistricting efforts, State Rep. Rick Rehm (R-Dothan), also in attendance, said he could not comment.
As of last Thursday, Attorney General Steve Marshall had filed emergency motions with the Supreme Court seeking to vacate previous appellate court injunctions that restricted Alabama from using a new congressional map.
If the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals grants the state's request, the Alabama Legislature could redraw congressional districts or apply maps passed in 2023.
Currently, a court-mandated ban on redrawing maps is in place until after the 2030 census.
During the forum, hosted by local radio host Misty Morgan, candidates gave brief background and pitches to the audience, outlining their qualifications for their respective races.
Houston County Republican Party chairwoman Karen Sanders discussed the event in remarks to 1819 News.
"The purpose and goal of this event is to let our local candidates have a voice in our community, as statewide candidates go all around the state, but our local candidates don't have that opportunity".
Sanders also stressed the importance of voter awareness, noting that Houston County has recently seen turnout of around 15% to 24%, depending on the race.
"It's about being ready to not only encourage them [the public] to vote, but having information to make good choices," she added.
The statewide primary will be held on May 19, with a runoff on June 16 for races that fail to produce a winner with more than 50%.
Clay Newsome is a graduate student at Auburn.
Have a tip about a woke professor or policy at your campus? Collegiate students across the state are encouraged to report any tips about anti-DEI policies being violated in class or by administration and can do so by calling 1819 News at 334-313-6201 or by emailing [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
