The Collective PAC announced a slate of endorsements of state and local candidates in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania on Tuesday. In Alabama, Wesley Thompson, who is running in House District 3, received the group’s endorsement.
The Collective PAC describes itself as the nation’s largest political action committee dedicated to increasing Black political engagement, representation, and power across all levels of government.
“Mr. Thompson is a local pastor, a substitute teacher and a community leader, he understands the importance of creating a strong community,” the group wrote in its announcement. “If elected, Mr. Thompson plans to uplift and empower the students in the community and be a sounding board for the voiceless.”
Thompson, on his website, said that he “is committed to empowering small businesses and entrepreneurship across the Shoals. He will fight for an economic environment that rewards entrepreneurship and promotes market competition. He will also work with state and local officials to recruit new industries and jobs to the Shoals.”
Thompson said that he is also committed to hard-working families in the Shoals and will fight for tax relief, so families can keep more of their hard-earned money.
“Kids in the Shoals, whether they’re Black or White, rich or poor, deserve the best education possible,” Thompson wrote on his site. “Wesley is committed to strengthening schools and investing in teachers so the Shoals can continue providing first-class educational opportunities for all children. Alabama currently loses hundreds of millions of dollars to other states. Wesley will fight for a state lottery in Alabama so that money can be invested in kids in the Shoals and across the state.”
Thompson is a hospital chaplain, and in that role he said he has seen up-close the challenges in our healthcare system.
“The current system costs the state billions of dollars, leaves thousands without healthcare coverage (at a cost of $500 million every year), and has forced seventeen rural and small-town hospitals to close their doors permanently,” Thompson said.
He promises to “fight for investment in our healthcare system through Medicaid expansion. This will stabilize the healthcare system, promote enormous economic growth, and provide access to healthcare for hundreds of thousands of Alabamians."
Thompson also said he wants to increase homeownership across the Shoals.
Thompson said that law enforcement serves an important role in protecting our neighborhoods and safeguarding our rights to life and liberty and he is committed to ensuring law enforcement has the support and protect Shoals communities.
He said however that he is also committed to working with state and local officials to ensure necessary reforms occur so every person, whether Black or White, rich or poor, can rest assured that their rights will be upheld and protected.”
To this point, Wesley Thompson is the only candidate in Alabama to enjoy the full support of Collective PAC.
HD3 is an open seat because incumbent State Rep. Andrew Sorrell (R-Muscle Shoals) is leaving the Legislature to run for State Auditor.
Susan Warren Bentley and Thompson are both running in the HD3 Democratic primary.
Fred Joly and Kerry “Bubba” Underwood are running in the HD3 Republican primary.
The winners of the two May 24 primaries will face each other in the Nov. 8 general election.
While the Republicans have a commanding supermajority in the Alabama House of Representatives, HD3 was in Democratic control for over 140 years. Sorrell’s 2018 election victory surprised many and was the closest margin of victory in any legislative race in 2018, so this is potentially a seat that Democrats could pick up.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandon.moseley@1819News.com.
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