Republican qualifying in Special Election State Senate District 9 opens Monday
On Sunday, the Alabama Republican Party announced candidate qualifying for the Alabama Republican Party Special Election Primary in Alabama Senate District 9 will open on Monday, November 6, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. CST. The qualifying window will close on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. CST. All Republican candidates interested in running for this seat must file with the Party before this date. The bizarrely short qualifying period was set by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) on Friday. Candidates have just two days to qualify for the Senate seat vacated last Monday by Sen. Clay Scofield (R-Guntersville), who left to pursue a role with the Business Council of Alabama (BCA). Anyone wishing to qualify for the Republican ballot can do so online or in person at Republican Party headquarters during the qualifying period. Senate District 9 covers portions of Blount, Marshall, and Madison counties. Candidates wishing to qualify as Democrats should visit the Democratic Party website for more information or visit Democratic Party Headquarters at 501 Adams Ave, Montgomery, AL 36104, during business hours. The Special Election Primary for the seat will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. If a run-off election is needed, it will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. The General Election will take place on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Independent or minor party candidates have until January 9 to turn in their forms, fees, and ballot access signatures with the Secretary of State website. Major party qualifying for offices in the regular 2024 election ends on Friday, November 10. More information can be found on the major party websites. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
John Wahl says plan for Republican Presidential Debate in Alabama has been in works for months
The New York Times is reporting that the fourth Republican Presidential debate will be in Tuscaloosa on December 6. Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl released a statement that neither confirms nor denies that reporting but does acknowledge that planning for an RNC Presidential Debate coming to Alabama has been underway for months. “I am extremely excited that the national Republican Party is working on a debate for the state of Alabama,” said Chairman Wahl. “This has been in the works for months, and I am thrilled we are getting close. Seeing Alabama host its first-ever official presidential debate is something that has been very important to me as ALGOP Chairman, and I am incredibly thankful for Debate Committee Chairman David Bossie and RNC Chairman Ronna McDaniel for their efforts to make this happen. There is still some work to be done, but I hope this historic event can be finalized soon.” There is a whole host of Republican presidential contenders, but former President Donald J. Trump is dominating the polls and the conversation. Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy were the only two Republicans who had successfully qualified for the Alabama ballot by the close of the business day on Friday, but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Senator Tim Scott, and others are expected to qualify by the November 10 deadline. Former Vice President Mike Pence has recently dropped out of the race. How many of those candidates will be on the debate stage for the fourth debate remains an open question. Will Trump be present, or will he continue to be a no-show at the GOP debates? Trump is the early frontrunner, but serious legal questions continue to swirl about Trump’s candidacy. Was January 6th, 2021, an “insurrection,” and if so, was Trump’s involvement consequential enough for him to be barred from running under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution? Secondly, Trump faces over 130 indictments in four different trials – trials that some believe were timed by partisan prosecutors to take place during the 2024 primary season. If even one of those many indictments produces a guilty verdict, does that disqualify Trump from running? Would Trump, as the Republican nominee, be barred from the ballot in some states? Will GOP voters abandon Trump over these legal concerns? The third Republican presidential debate will be Thursday in Miami. NBC News host Lester Holt will be the moderator. The deadline for candidates to qualify with both major parties is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 10. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Terri Sewell votes against Republican Israeli supplemental aid bill
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a stand-alone supplemental appropriation to provide emergency military aid to Israel in its war against Hamas. Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) voted against the Republican-led package and then released a statement to explain her opposition to the Republicans’ supplemental funding package. “While I fully support assistance to Israel, the partisan bill that House Republicans pushed through provides no assistance to Ukraine, blocks humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, and includes billions in tax giveaways to the rich,” Rep. Sewell said. “I am disappointed that my Republican colleagues have taken an otherwise bipartisan priority—supporting our national security and our allies—and turned it into a bitter partisan battle. This bill is dead on arrival in the Senate and undercuts the bipartisan efforts by the White House and the Senate to pass a comprehensive aid package that includes funding for both Israel and Ukraine and provides humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. I look forward to supporting this legislation, which is in line with President [Joe] Biden’s original funding request that would holistically support our national security efforts.” Twelve Democratic members of the House voted in favor of the legislation. The six Alabama Republicans all voted in favor of the measure. President Biden had asked for over $100 billion in a supplemental aid package, with $61 billion going to further Ukraine’s war with Russia. Republicans also objected to sending $6 billion in aid to Hamas-controlled Gaza, arguing that Hamas will simply seize the aid and use it to support their fighters. Democrats also objected to House Republicans using the supplemental appropriation to cut billions that Democrats passed when they still controlled the House of Representatives to hire 81,000 more IRS agents to harass and persecute American taxpayers. President Biden said he will veto the stand-alone aid bill for Israel. On October 7, Hamas fighters came across the Israeli border and killed 1,400 Israelis, including 32 Americans. Another 2,800 were wounded in the senseless attacks, and over 200 Israelis were taken hostage. Thousands of rockets were fired into Israel from both Gaza and Hezbollah-controlled regions of Lebanon. Israel has declared war on Hamas and has begun ground operations in Gaza while the Israeli air force continues to bomb targets in Gaza. Palestinian authorities claim that over 4,000 Palestinians have died in the fighting – most of them civilians. A bipartisan majority of Congress supports aiding the Israeli war effort, but they are not in agreement on how to do that. A key sticking point has been Biden’s insistence that aid for Israel is linked to aid for Ukraine. Terri Sewell is in her seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville joins legislation to give aid to Israel
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to introduce the Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023. This GOP legislation would ensure that funding for Israel is not exploited to send billions of more dollars in aid to Ukraine. This legislation would provide $14.3 billion to Israel, including $10.6 billion for assistance through the Department of Defense (DOD), $3.5 billion for foreign military financing, and $200 million in diplomatic funding to help protect U.S. embassies and personnel. “I have voted against additional funding for Ukraine and will continue to do so,” said Sen. Tuberville. “The contrast with Israel could not be clearer. Israel is our Number One ally in the Middle East. Israel is killing terrorists who want us dead. I stand with Israel 100 percent, but I do not support sending another dime to Ukraine.” The Israel Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 would: · Block the Biden administration from leveraging aid to Israel for more Ukraine funding and clarify that none of the amounts made available by the bill can be used in connection with the Ukraine war. · Funds Israel’s defense, including the Iron Dome and Iron Beam systems, and replaces weapons the DOD sends Israel. · Authorizes the Pentagon to send Israel equipment and services already in U.S. stocks. · Authorizes stockpiling weapons in Israel. · Funds more protection for U.S. embassies and personnel in Israel and to help repatriate American citizens from the region. · Strips all aid to Gaza that could be funneled to Hamas terrorists. President Joe Biden has made aid to Israel conditional on Congress also approving his $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. Biden also wants to tie Israeli aid to a $6 billion humanitarian aid package for Hamas-controlled Gaza. The White House has said that Biden will veto a stand-alone aid package for Israel that passed out of the House of Representatives on Thursday night. Sen. Tuberville has also cosponsored the Revoke Iranian Funding Act to freeze the $6 billion in funding the Biden administration released to Iran at the bank in Qatar, where it is currently being held. This would ensure these dollars are not used by Iran to promote terrorism against Israel or any other nation. Tuberville has also sponsored the Emergency Resupply for IRON DOME Act of 2023, which would require the Executive Branch to transfer the U.S. foreign assistance that the U.S. Department of State plans to send to Hamas-controlled Gaza and redirect it to resupply Israel’s missile defense interceptors. Tuberville has cosponsored the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Accountability and Transparency Act to cut U.S. funds to the antisemitic United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Tuberville has sent a letter to President Biden asking him to prioritize rescuing American hostages that were taken by Hamas during its attacks on Israel and to support Israel’s efforts to wipe out Hamas. Tuberville is calling on President Biden to enforce existing law and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who endorse or espouse activity in support of Hamas or other Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO). He also voted for the bipartisan resolution of support for Israel that passed the Senate on Thursday. Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
