Municipal races in Huntsville are heating up now that candidate qualification is officially closed. One race to watch is Huntsville City Council's District 1, where school board member Michelle Watkins and community leader Reggie McKenzie will be fighting for the seat against two-time incumbent Devyn Keith.
Watkins and McKenzie have visions for bettering north Huntsville, but both said they decided to enter the race due to Keith's failure to lead and represent his community.
"I qualified on the last day because I didn't want to run," McKenzie told 1819 News. "We need to restore trust back to the district. And not only the district but the whole Huntsville Community. I felt like I was personally let down because I had a lot of confidence in the incumbent. I think the whole community feels like they have been let down. So I felt like it was a responsibility that I had to run."
McKenzie said District 1 needs someone who "can lead from a position of strength" and capitalize on the city's growing success.
"I think, at this point, we need an adult in the room, and I'm that person," he declared.
Watkins said too often, she and other citizens' requests for help had gone unanswered by Keith.
"I feel like the current representative is not attentive or responsive to constituents when they contact him," she explained. "That was a concern for me. I tried on several occasions as a school board member, and he hasn't returned my calls or emails."
Both Watkins and McKenzie expressed disappointment at Keith's criminal conviction for shoplifting from several local Walmarts, and McKenzie said his hopes of Keith one day becoming the city's mayor were dashed.
"Even myself, I thought it was an accident. Maybe he forgot to scan an item," Watkins said. "Just human error. When the news came out that it happened over 30 times, that's not an accident. That's not an accident, and it's not representative of my community. We make mistakes, and we forgive, but 30 times, that's not a mistake."
The two candidates are running on similar platforms: to revive north Huntsville visually and economically by attracting more retail, restaurants, and commerce.
"It's important to me that this community receives its fair share of anything that the city is doing in other districts," Watkins said. "... There's a visible difference between north Hutnsville and south Huntsville."
McKenzie added, "When you drive down the parkway, it [doesn't] look like a lot has changed [in north Huntsville]... Seeing is believing."
He said his experience as a military veteran, entrepreneurial spirit and time served on various boards in the city will help him excel in representing District 1 and implement his 10-step plan for bettering the community.
"I'm a long-range planner. I know things can't happen overnight, but I can see beyond the horizon when I do things," McKenzie said.
He said that his experience and relationships with the mayor and other city council members give him the edge in the race over his opponent, who may have difficulty garnering support for her agenda "based on her track record."
"I have that advantage where I've worked with these people," McKenzie said. "They know me, they trust me, they know I'm going to give them the straight facts and the truth."
In addition to her other qualifications, Watkins said she has made many connections with city leadership during her time on the school board and is the best person for the job as a lifelong community resident. She accused McKenzie of intentionally "mirroring" her campaign talking points and being a virtual outsider regarding his time spent in the district.
"I feel I'm well prepared through the collaborations and connections that I have made," she said. "… Being on the [school] board for almost eight years, I understand the ins and outs of the political position. I'm well-equipped to start this position… "I'm boots on the ground. I'm connected to the community. So I am the better candidate."
Keith did not respond to an email request for comment. According to his campaign website, he is running on "increasing property values while addressing housing affordability, investing in infrastructure, reducing crime and enhancing a vibrant quality of life for all of District 1."
Huntsville will hold its municipal elections on August 27. City Council District 5 and Board of Education Districts 1 and 5 will also be on the ballot. Mayor Tommy Battle has already been declared the de facto winner in his reelection campaign since no one challenged him.
To connect with the story's author or comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com or find him on Twitter and Facebook.
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