Bradley Byrne: Everything you need to know about the 2020 Senate candidate

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Rep Bradley Byrne opinion
Photo courtesy of Rep. Bradley Byrne

Republican Alabama 1st District U.S.Rep. Bradley Byrne announced Wednesday he will challenge Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in the 2020 election in an attempt to take back the Senate seat for the GOP in the overwhelmingly red state.

Here’s everything you need to know about Byrne:

Key facts

  • Current position: Congressman representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District since 2014
  • Age: 64
  • Born: Mobile, Ala.
  • Undergraduate: Duke University
  • Graduate: University of Alabama (JD)
  • Date candidacy announced: February 20, 2019
  • % of votes in line with Trump, via FiveThirtyEight: 96.3%
  • Previous prominent roles: Alabama State Senate; Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System; Member of the Alabama Board of Education

Key issues

  • Immigration: Supports President Donald Trump’s efforts to build a border wall with Mexico. Believes “we must deploy the national guard, and use any means necessary to stop the rampant caravans of illegals that are heading to the Mexican border.”
  • 2nd Amendment: Pro-guns with a  a lifetime “A” rating from the NRA.
  • Health care: Supports repealing Obamacare and “replacing it with a free-market approach that doesn’t put the government between a patient and their doctor.”
  • Education: Pushes for policies that return decision-making authority back to the state and local entities
  • Term limits: Introduced a Constitutional amendment to impose term limits in “an effort to ensure we keep fresh blood in the halls of Congress.”
  • Pro-life/Pro-Choice? Is 100% pro-life. Has worked “tirelessly” to defund abortion organizations like Planned Parenthood.

Interesting facts

  • Byrne’s first run for office was in 1994 when he ran for the Alabama State Board of Education as a Democrat. In 1997, he left the Democratic Party and became a Republican.
  • The Mobile Press-Register reported in May 2011 that Byrne was considering running for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in the upcoming 2012 election. “I’ve been encouraged to look at it, and I’m doing that. But I’ve made no decision, and frankly I’m no where near a decision at this point,” Byrne said. Ultimately, he did not enter the race.