Jared Budlong is seeking to be Alabama’s next governor. Budlong is running a write-in campaign for the office in the November 8 general election. On Thursday, Budlong spoke in a phone interview with Alabama Today.
Budlong was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, into a working-class family; his father worked as a custom furniture maker but now works in the construction industry. Budlong has lived in Alabama since 1994.
When asked why he did not qualify to run as an independent on the ballot, Budlong stated, “The biggest hurdle is the number of petitions.”
He said that it would take approximately 52,000 signatures, roughly 3% of the registered voters in the state, for him to get access to the ballot as an independent or minor party candidate.
“Attempting to get 52,000 signatures without a very large budget is next to impossible,” Budlong said.
Alabama Today asked how difficult it has been for him to raise money as a write-in candidate.
“As difficult as I would have expected,” Budlong said. “However, as of August, I have raised a comparative amount to the Democratic nominee.”
Budlong said that he is in favor of Medicaid expansion.
“Healthcare in our society is a medical necessity,” Budlong commented. “We should not let people die because they lack the ability to pay.”
The state is expected to have a $2.5 billion surplus rollover into fiscal year 2023, which begins on October 1.
When asked how he would spend that money if elected governor, Budlong said, “We would have to do an audit of the rest of our spending first. I would love to put it toward getting people out of prison as quickly as possible.”
Alabama Today asked if doing that would make Alabama less safe by letting out thousands of violent and dangerous criminals suddenly into the population.
“That is not the case,” Budlong responded. “I am not for releasing dangerous, violent criminals out of prison. 66% of them are in for poverty-related crimes.”
“The end goal is to let as many people out of prison as possible,” Budlong said.
Budlong said that the state should get them the training and the skills that they need to succeed before releasing them from prison and that “Reviewing the current cases” would be one of his first priorities as governor.
“They may be worse off after they spent ten years in ADOC,” Budlong said of the presently incarcerated.
Alabama Today asked if this exceeded the authority of the Governor as the legislature tasks the Alabama Pardons and Paroles Board with making decisions on when to release inmates, not the governor.
“There are other mechanisms to get people out of prison,” Budlong said. “I am fervently opposed to the death penalty.”
Alabama Today asked Budlong if he favored building a toll bridge over Mobile Bay.
“I am not a fan of the toll aspect of that,” Budlong said. “I am directly impacted by that decision.”
Budlong and his family live in Daphne, in Baldwin County, where any trip to their west in Mobile County would mean either paying to use the toll bridge or driving around. He has also lived in Birmingham.
“I am in favor of the idea of legalizing medical marijuana,” Budlong said. “I would like to go beyond that and decriminalize marijuana as a whole.”
However, Budlong did say that he had some problems with how the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is awarding the licenses to participate in that. Budlong cited the “Large barriers” to getting a license.
“It seems that it has set predetermined people to get those licenses,” Budlong said.
Budlong said that he favors raising people out of poverty.
“A part of that would be pushing for a living wage so people can live and stay in the state,” Budlong said.
Another part of that is “universal income.” Budlong suggested that he would pursue federal dollars so that there is a basic income “keeping everybody above the poverty line.”
The State Legislature passed constitutional carry allowing every Alabama citizen with gun rights to carry their weapons with them without having to purchase a permit from their sheriff.
“I am not in favor of that specifically,” Budlong commented. “My concern about gun violence is not limited to the tools themselves. There is a much larger problem at hand.”
Budlong said that he is not in favor of gun seizures.
“We should not be stripping them from our citizens,” Budlong said.
Budlong is not an advocate for a state lottery. Budlong said that he would not oppose a lottery if the legislature passed one, but he would not advocate for it either as a program that raises money for education, and the general welfare should not be funded on the backs of the poorest citizens. He also said that he would not spend state resources to close down casinos currently operating illegally in the state.
“My opposition is not opposed to gambling, but what that program would do to poor citizens and residents,” Budlong said.
Alabama Today asked if the state of Alabama has enough revenue coming in.
“No, we are not unless there is an unknown black hole somewhere,” Budlong answered.
“I need everyone to understand that I feel connected to the registered but inactive voters,” Budlong said. “1.4 million people did not vote at all (in the 2020 presidential election)…If you feel unheard, that is why I am running.”
Budlong has an associate degree from Faulkner State Community College. He and his wife have three children. He earned his Eagle Scout in 2001 and is an active volunteer with his local scouting organization. His career experience includes working as a project manager for a marketing agency that has worked internationally with businesses, both large and small.
Incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey, Democrat Yolanda Flowers, and Libertarian James Blake will be the names on the November 8 general election ballot. To vote for Budlong, voters must check the write-in box as their selection for Governor and then write Jared Budlong next to it. Pastor Dean Odle is also running as a write-in candidate.
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