Republican CD2 candidate Wallace Gilberry says he learned life lessons from playing football
Republican Second Congressional District (CD2) candidate Wallace Gilberry is reminding voters of his success playing football for the University of Alabama and in the National Football League. “I cut my teeth on the gridiron in Tuscaloosa,” Gilberry said in a recent fundraising email. “I played for Mike Shula and Nick Saban, then made it 9 seasons in the NFL.” “Football – along with my mom and great-grandmother – taught me everything I know,” Gilberry continued. “Like: 1) Bring glory to God on and off the field 2) Play through the whistle 3) Always stand to honor those who keep us free” “My name is Wallace Gilberry,” Gilberry stated. “If you’ve never heard of me, that’s OK – here’s what you should know: I’m a Black man in America who is familiar with the struggles of our community. But I’m also a Republican who voted for Trump. And I’m running in the single most competitive House race in the entire country.” Democrats are hoping that they can flip Alabama’s Second Congressional District from Republican to Democratic after the federal courts redrew the district to make Congressional District 2 48.7 percent Black. Twenty-one candidates, including Gilberry, have qualified to run for the seat. Second District incumbent Congressman Barry Moore was redistricted to Congressional District 1 where he is challenging incumbent Congressman Jerry Carl in the GOP primary. “I’m running against more than a DOZEN far-left Democrats with an army of mega-donors backing them.,” Gilberry said. “I’ve never run for office. They have. I’ve never even sent an email like this before. But I was raised by a single mom who worked 2 jobs to put food on the table for her 5 kids – being an underdog is nothing new to me or my family. So – with grit and determination in my heart – I’m respectfully asking you to pitch in JUST a few bucks now to fuel my underdog campaign to victory. I promise I’ll make you proud when we win it all. God bless you.” Gilberry is a native of Bay Minette in Baldwin County. He grew up as one of five children and was raised by his single mom and his great-grandmother. Gilberry is one of eight Republicans who have qualified for the March 5 primary ballot. State Senator Greg Albritton, former state Senator Dick Brewbaker, real estate attorney Caroleene Dobson, former Congressional staffer turned Mobile restauranteur Karla M. DuPriest, attorney and real estate broker Hampton S. Harris, Stacey T. Shepperson, and Newton city council member Belinda Thomas are the other seven GOP candidates. Thirteen Democrats have qualified to run as well. The eventual Republican and Democratic nominees will face off in the general election on November 5. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Congressional candidate Caroleene Dobson promises to limit Tik Tok influence and prevent social media companies from silencing conservative voices
On Thursday, Congressional candidate Caroleene Dobson released a statement promising that she will lead efforts to block the influence of the Chinese-owned TikTok video app and prevent social media conglomerates from silencing conservatives on their platforms if elected to Congress. Dobson, a Montgomery real estate attorney, is a Republican candidate for Alabama’s Second Congressional District seat. “As relations between China and the U.S. continue to erode and every expert agrees that cyber warfare is a real and looming threat, more than 150 million Americans have willingly surrendered their personal information to the Chinese-owned TikTok video app,” Dobson said. “At the same time, those who express opinions contrary to woke ideas and liberal dogma on their social media pages are routinely sent to ‘Facebook jail’ or have their accounts permanently revoked like President [Donald] Trump.” “When social media owners can silence a president and shadow ban all conservative thought with which they disagree, they assume the powers of Third World, Banana Republic dictators,” Dobson continued. “And when the Chinese Communist Party can access the personal information of millions of Americans at any time they wish, we are allowing them to weaponize the internet and placing their fingers upon the trigger.” Dobson promised that she would join the ever-growing number of congressional conservatives who are sponsoring legislation and promoting ideas that will stem the control of social media by the Chinese government and extremist liberal interests. Dobson noted that TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd. and is by law obligated under China’s “National Intelligence Law” to turn over any information on its American users that is demanded by the ruling Communist Party. During a congressional hearing held earlier this year, the chief executive officer of TikTok also deflected questions about Community Party ties and influence within the company. Dobson pointed to an internal company post by a senior Facebook engineer as evidence of the almost universal liberal domination of the popular social media platform and the contempt that conservative beliefs generate. The post, which was reported by the New York Times, read: “We are a political monoculture that’s intolerant of different views. We claim to welcome all perspectives but are quick to attack — often in mobs — anyone who presents a view that appears to be in opposition to left-leaning ideology.” Dobson has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and a law degree from the Baylor School of Law. She is married and has two children. She serves on the Alabama Forestry Commission and the Southeast Livestock Exposition and is a member of the Birmingham Chapter of the Federalist Society. Dobson grew up on a cattle farm in Alabama and excelled in high school rodeo. Congressional District 2 has been heavily redrawn ahead of this election. Previously, CD2 was 28% Black. The court-appointed special master redrew Congressional District 2 so that it is now 48.7% Black. It includes all of Montgomery County, the eastern half of the Blackbelt, the northern half of the Wiregrass, and part of Alabama southwest, including most of the City of Mobile. According to data prepared by the special master, there is over a 94% likelihood that a Democrat will win the district. The special master redistricted Second Congressional District incumbent Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) and all of Coffee County out of Congressional District 2 and into Congressional District 1. Moore is challenging incumbent Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) in the First District, so Congressional District 2 is a rare open seat. State Senator Greg Albritton of Atmore, former State Senator Dick Brewbaker, real estate broker attorney Hampton Harris, former Congressional staffer and restauranteur Karla M. DuPriest, football star Wallace Gilberry, Stacey T. Shepperson, and Belinda Thomas are all also running in the Republican primary. The major party primaries are on March 5. If necessary. There will be a Republican primary runoff election on April 16. Thirteen Democrats are running in the Democratic primary. The Republican and Democratic nominees will face off on the November 5 presidential election ballot. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Hampton Harris qualifies for second congressional district
Attorney Hampton Harris launched his campaign for Congress on Wednesday. Harris is one of eight Republicans who qualified Friday to run for Alabama’s redrawn Second Congressional District (CD2). Harris, a Montgomery native, said he is desperate to fight for traditional American values. “We cannot change Washington if we keep sending the same establishment politicians to Congress,” said Hampton Harris. “America is at a crossroads, and members of my generation are desperate to fight for the values that seem to be under assault from the radical left. Weakness won’t defeat the woke. We need strength, energy, and a disciplined commitment to our Constitutional rights.” Harris received a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University at Montgomery in economics with a minor in biology. Following graduation from college, Hampton worked in the emergency department at Baptist Health in Montgomery. He says that there, he witnessed firsthand the looming opioid crisis in Alabama and the failures of socialized medicine managed by a Washington bureaucracy that is far away from the people it is supposed to serve. Harris went on to earn a law degree from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 2023. While in law school, Harris served as an advocate in the Cumberland School of Law Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic. There, he was able to work directly with veterans across Alabama. “Our working families and seniors are facing the biggest cost of living crisis since the Great Depression, and every day that Biden and the Democrats print more money, inflation gets worse,” Harris said. “They are destroying wealth for those who can least afford these disastrous government policies, and it must stop. I will stand with Speaker Mike Johnson and Congressional conservatives to uphold our God-given liberties and defeat the woke extremists that are weakening America.” Harris owns a real estate brokerage firm serving the Montgomery and Southeast Alabama markets. Harris is married. His wife, Abbi Harris, is also an attorney and serves this country as a member of the United States Air Force. Harris said that he has never wavered from his strong conservative roots. He grew up in a family of seven who were homeschooled by his mother. He says he benefited from his experience growing up in a Christian homeschooling household. Hampton said his upbringing helped him build his life around traditional family values. Previously, CD2 was 28% Black. The court-appointed special master redrew CD2 so that it is now 48.7% Black. The new Second Congressional District includes all of Montgomery County, the eastern half of the Blackbelt, the northern half of the Wiregrass, and part of southwest Alabama including most of the City of Mobile. According to data prepared by the special master, there is over a 94% likelihood that a Democrat will win CD2. The special master redistricted Second Congressional District incumbent Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) and all of Coffee County out of CD2 and into CD1. Moore is challenging incumbent Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) in the First District, so CD2 is a rare open seat. State Senator Greg Albritton of Atmore, former State Senator Dick Brewbaker, attorney Caroleene Dobson, former Congressional staffer and restauranteur Karla M. DuPriest, football star Wallace Gilberry, Stacey T. Shepperson, and Belinda Thomas are all also running in the Republican primary. The major party primaries are on March 5. If necessary. There will be a Republican primary runoff election on April 16. Thirteen Democrats have qualified to run in the Democratic primary. The Republican and Democratic nominees will face off on the November 5 presidential election ballot. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
21 candidates qualify to run in Congressional District 2
Alabama’s Second Congressional District race was already crowded, but by the time major party qualifying ended on Friday at 5:00 p.m., a total of 21 candidates had qualified with the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Republican Party. The Congressional District 2 (CD2) seat is an open seat because the court-appointed special master redrew Alabama’s congressional districts in such a way that two incumbents, Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) and Jerry Carl (R-Enterprise), now live in the same district – Alabama’s First Congressional District. While Moore and Carl battle over which one gets to remain in Congress, CD2 is open with no incumbent. Since the rules for Congressional Districts do not require you to live in the district you are running, politicians from all over Alabama are running for this seat. Thirteen candidates qualified to run in CD2 with the Alabama Democratic Party. Retired Marine and 2020 congressional candidate James Averhart from Mobile qualified. So did State Representative Napoleon Bracy Jr. Bracy represents Prichard. He works for Austal. State Senator Merika Coleman from Jefferson County qualified. Coleman represents Birmingham, Bessemer, and Pleasant Grove. State Representative Anthony Daniels from Huntsville is running for the seat. Daniels is the House Minority Leader. Shomari Figures works in Washington, D.C., for Attorney General Merrick Garland but is originally from Mobile. His parents are State Senator Vivian Figures and the late State Senator Michael Figures (both of Mobile). He has worked for President Barack Obama. Brian Gary is a general surgeon at Jackson Hospital. State Representative Juandalynn Givan represents Birmingham and Forestdale in Jefferson County. Givan is a Jefferson County attorney. State Representative Jeremy Gray represents Lee and Russell Counties in the Legislature. He is the House Minority Whip. Phyllis Harvey-Hall was the Democratic nominee for CD2 in 2022 and 2020. She lost both times to Barry Moore. Willie J. Lenard is a resident of Opelika. Vimal Patel is a successful hotelier, commercial real estate investor, and realtor. He was a candidate in the Democratic primary in 2022 but lost to Harvey-Hall. Larry Darnell Simpson is a musician. Darryl “Sink” Sinkfield is an ASU alum and supporter. Eight Republicans have qualified. State Senator Greg Albritton of Atmore is an attorney. The retired naval officer is currently the House Finance & Taxation General Fund Committee chairman. Dick Brewbaker is a former Montgomery area automobile dealer. The Pike Road resident is a former state senator who served two terms from 2010 to 2018. Caroleene Dobson is a real estate attorney and a former rodeo standout. She serves on the Alabama Forestry Commission and Southeast Livestock Exposition. Karla M. DuPriest is a former candidate for U.S. Senate. She is a longtime congressional staffer who currently runs a popular barbecue restaurant in Mobile. Wallace Gilberry is a former University of Alabama football player who has played for multiple NFL teams. Hampton S. Harris has also qualified for the post. Stacey T. Shepperson qualified on Friday afternoon, right before the close of GOP qualifying. Belinda Thomas serves on the Newton City Council in Dale County. Both major party primaries are on March 5. If necessary, the primary runoff elections will be held on April 16. The eventual Republican and Democratic nominees will then face each other a year from now in the 2024 general election on November 5. The new district lines mean that Congressional District 2 has shifted from being a safe Republican seat to a likely Democratic seat. Given the razor-thin Republican majority in the House of Representatives, this district flipping to the Democrats could help swing control of Congress to the Democrats. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
ALGOP Outreach Coalition to host Meet & Greet in Montgomery
The Alabama Republican Party Outreach Coalition will host a Meet & Greet event at the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors auditorium in Montgomery, on Thursday, September 8th, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The ALGOP Outreach Coalition is a diverse network of conservative voters working to forge partnerships within communities across Alabama and proclaim the ALGOP is open to people of all backgrounds. The Coalition is looking to connect with all voters – especially those of African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, and multi-racial descent – in order to start a dialogue on the issues. The Director of the Outreach Coalition team is State Rep. Kenneth Paschal. Paschal became the first Republican African-American elected to the Alabama Legislature since Reconstruction and will also be a guest speaker. Co-Director Belinda Thomas will also speak at the event. Thomas is the first female African-American City Councilwoman of Newton, AL. State Rep. Charlotte Meadows and Alabama Republican Party Chairmen John Wahl and Greg Poole will also speak at the event. “I am here to tell you that the Alabama Republican Party is proud to support and encourage minorities. The Democrat Party wants you to believe that all minorities share their liberal views, but we are here today to challenge that false stereotype. There are thousands of conservative people in minority groups across this state, and they deserve to be recognized,” stated Wahl. Cedric Coley is the Central Alabama Regional Director for the ALGOP Outreach Coalition and the moderator for the event.
