Ann Eubank running as a Republican for Alabama State School Board Position – District 3
State School Board District 3 member incumbent Stephanie Bell will not seek another term, setting off a Republican scramble for the post. Conservative activist Ann Eubank is one of four Republican candidates seeking the open seat on the State Board of Education. Eubank said that no issue has been more important to her than excellence in education. Eubank said that her concern over education led to her retiring to become an unpaid full-time citizen lobbyist after witnessing what her grandson was being taught in school. Ann has dedicated the last 15 years to researching and advocating for solutions to the dismal state of affairs in the Alabama Public School System. Eubank said that Alabama public schools’ downward spiral began in 2009 when Common Core was introduced to the State School Board and was adopted the following year despite an outcry from countless parents and voters. “Running for office is the last thing I ever thought I would do, but I decided to run for state school board after Stephanie Bell, representative for School Board District 3, had not yet qualified for re-election,” Eubank said. “It’s imperative that we elect someone who will work to change the trajectory of Alabama education from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the ladder like Florida.” “Parents and students deserve State School Board members who understand this and will listen to their concerns about the serious problems we face in Alabama’s schools,” Eubank continued. “We need a new perspective on the Board. I am the only one running for this position that hasn’t been some part of the education establishment.” Eubank is a member of the Alabama Legislative Watchdogs, a group of citizen lobbyists from all parts of the state of Alabama who give in-depth analysis about legislation being put forth and passed, what it means, and how it impacts citizens. Eubank is also a member of the Jefferson County Mid-Alabama Republican Club (MARC) and has attended countless Republican club meetings all over the state as a speaker and guest. Eubank is a member of Mom’s For Liberty. “At Moms for Liberty, we understand the importance of having liberty-minded school boards throughout the country that are focused on defending parental rights and improving education,” Eubank said. “We hope to activate these types of people to public service. Every child across America deserves access to a quality education. The decisions made by school board members play a crucial role in shaping the quality of that education.” Eubank serves as Co-Chair of the Alabama Conservative Coalition. She has been a Heritage Action Sentinel since 2010. Conservative news/talk radio listeners have heard Ann in occasional radio hosting duties on WYDE and IC Radio in North Alabama. Eubank was a policy advisor for Tim James’ failed 2022 Campaign for Governor of Alabama. Eubank was a Southeastern Cruz Crew team member in Senator Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign in 2016. Eubank was a Cruz delegate at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland that year. Eubank is a member of the National and Alabama Women for Trump group. She was a member of Congressman Mo Brooks’s (R-AL05) 2018 and 2022 Senate Campaign Steering Committees. She is a member of the firearms rights group Bama Carry. Eubank is also a member of the Stop Common Core Alabama Task Force. In that role, Eubank did numerous talks on Common Core, aka National Standards, with politicians and the public. She is also a member of the Alabamians United for Excellence in Education Taskforce and one of the coordinators of the Alabama Opt-Out movement. Eubank’s efforts have been noticed. Ballotpedia identified Ann Eubank as a “top influencer by state” in 2015. She was named on Alabama Today’s 20 Alabamians who belong on any “Most Influential” list. Eubank appeared in the documentary movie “Revelation – Dawn of a Global Government” where she warned how Common Core, aka National Standards, indoctrination would turn our children into “Good Little Socialists.” Eubank has been interviewed by numerous local, state, national, and international radio, print, and television outlets. Eubank has authored many political opinion articles in numerous local and national publications. Eubank participated in Frank Luntz’s HBO Special regarding Roy Moore’s Senate Campaign that aired on HBO and Axios. Eubank, in her role as a leader of the Rainy Day Patriots, helped contribute to the 2010 Republican wave election that led to the GOP taking control of both Houses of the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. She grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and now lives in Hoover. She has been married to her husband, Jim, for 55 years. She has two daughters and two grandchildren. Kelly Mooney, former State Representative Charlotte Meadows, and Melissa Snowden have all also qualified to run for the open school board seat. The Republican Primary will be on March 5. No Democrat has qualified, so the eventual Republican nominee will likely be elected. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Charlotte Meadows prioritizes parental rights, school choice in announcing State Board of Education, District 3 run
Republican Charlotte Meadows announced today that she would be seeking the Republican nomination for State Board of Education, District 3. “Education in Alabama is my driving passion. For too long, we have suffered at the bottom of national rankings,” Meadows said. “Obviously, what we have been doing the last 30 years has not been working. It is time for a new direction on the Board of Education.” Charlotte Meadows is a former representative in the Alabama Legislature and a former member of the Montgomery Public Schools Board of Education. She currently serves as the board chair of LEAD Academy, a public Charter School. Meadows has extensive ties from all over District 3. She represented the Montgomery portion for three years, was raised in Montgomery, spent summers in Elmore County, and now lives in Shelby County. “It is more important than ever that parents have a say in their children’s education,” Meadows added. “The woke indoctrination of our society is very dangerous, and we need vigilant warriors protecting what our children are being exposed to in our schools and libraries.” Meadows is married to Dr. Allen Meadows and is a mother of three and grandmother of three. “I am a strong proponent of school choice, and not just in affluent zip codes. We need to ensure that all kids have the tools they need to succeed in life,” Meadows concluded. “Changing the focus on the State Board of Education will be the first step to improving our state’s education crisis.” The district includes all of Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, and Shelby Counties, as well as the southern portion of Jefferson County and portions of Montgomery and Talladega Counties. Stephanie Bell has been in this seat for almost 30 years. The Republican Primary will be held on March 5, 2024. for State Board of Education
Charlotte Meadows: Parent’s rights should be protected in public libraries and schools
My world changed on September 18, 2020, when our first granddaughter was born. Every day since has been brighter and filled with anticipation of our next visit with her and hope for her future. We’ve had many opportunities for her to take me places; one of those was to the Mt Laurel library for children’s story hour. I say “she took me” because we wandered around the parking lot for about 10 minutes before I told her to take me to story time, and she took my hand and led me to the back of the parking area. We wandered in and innocently took seats in the story time circle. She was ecstatic to greet her friends and participate in the playtime and storybook reading. I was just happy that she was content to be with me and away from her mom. This story ends well because OUR local library didn’t have anything inappropriate for my two-year-old that day, and this grandma escaped from having inadvertently exposed a two-year-old to something truly horrible. But it may have been a different story if I had chosen to go to the next closest library. North Shelby County Library on Cahaba Valley Road had an LBGTQ display in the middle of the children’s section this summer. That’s right, the section designed for our youngest and most impressionable human beings! The ones with the least ability to make decisions for themselves and the ones who are in the greatest need to be protected by the adults in their lives. Why would the adults in this library do anything to expose babies to books with such a pronounced social goal? Have you ever uttered a bad word in front of a child just learning to talk? How soon before they repeat it back to you? Does anybody believe that children aren’t paying attention to every little thing around them? Of course, they are, and it is up to the parents, grandparents, and other caring adults in their lives to keep them safe in a world that is becoming increasingly more confusing and more difficult to navigate. Can we, as a society, agree that some topics are too complex and difficult for children, especially pre-school ones? I am not suggesting banning books of any kind. But common sense demands that we not expose children to topics beyond their ability to understand. Children thankfully don’t perceive race or sexual activity until a much older age and should not have to deal with the intricacies of sexual relationships, much less transitioning to another gender until they are more mature. Parents are the adults who understand their children the best and have the responsibility to determine the right time for those subjects. The adults in Shelby County, particularly those in the library system, should be required to file any potentially confusing texts in an area of the library where children do not have access without the direct supervision of a parent. Furthermore, local libraries need to be compelled by law to keep age-inappropriate material out of the children’s section. School libraries should be required to do the same. Parents should feel safe sending their children to any public library and know that they will not be exposed to topics they aren’t ready to introduce to their child. I believe that the rights of parents are paramount. To preserve liberty in our society, we should all be opposed to censorship and discrimination in whatever form it takes. We don’t want the government to tell us what we can and can’t read. But ultimately, this is an issue of who has the duty to determine what is best for their children: the parents or the state. Whether it’s books that obviously have a social agenda in a library, the curriculum in their school, or even which school they attend, all parents have the right and responsibility to choose what is best for their children. Charlotte Meadows was a State Representative for District 74 from 2019-2022. She is also a former Montgomery Public School Board of Education member and a current Board Chair for the LEAD Academy. Meadows is a mother of three and has three grandchildren.
Nathaniel Ledbetter makes more staff appointments
State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter, the House Republican Caucus’s choice to be the next Speaker of the Alabama House, announced on Tuesday several appointments for the Speaker’s office staff. “Running the day-to-day operations of the speaker’s office effectively is key to ensuring that the House remains on track and the members remain informed,” Ledbetter said. “Each of these men and women have proven themselves to be able administrators in the past, and I know that they will work hard to serve the members of the House on both sides of the aisle as well as the taxpayers across Alabama.” Ledbetter has already announced that Mark Tuggle will remain as the Speaker’s Chief of Staff. Tuggle previously served as a Republican State Representative from Alexander City. Jade Wagner, a DeKalb County native who currently resides in Montgomery, will serve as Ledbetter’s deputy chief of staff. Since 2017, she was previously employed by Ledbetter in the office of the House majority leader, where she served as policy director. Ledbetter will retain Andrew Westcott of Pike Road as general counsel and policy director in the Speaker’s office, a post he has held since 2015. Before joining the Speaker’s staff, Westcott was employed by the Alabama Law Institute. Rob Green is a Jasper native. He will hold the title of director of communications and external affairs. Green previously served as policy analyst under Speaker Mac McCutcheon. Geen recently returned from a leave of absence after working with the campaign team that successfully maintained the Republican supermajority in the Alabama House. Daisy Goza of Millbrook will follow Ledbetter to the Speaker’s office. She will serve as Ledbetter’s executive assistant and scheduler, the same role she filled during his service as House majority leader. Holley Knowles of Montgomery will remain on staff as the Speaker’s constituent services specialist. These appointments are not official until Ledbetter is elected by the full body as Speaker of the House; however, since Republicans hold a 77 to 28 supermajority in the Alabama House of Representatives, it is extremely likely that the House Republican Caucus choice for Speaker of the House will be elected as such during the organizational session of the Alabama Legislature in January. During the recent election, the Republican Supermajority successfully defended all but one of its 77 seats from the last quadrennium. State Rep. Charlotte Meadows was unseated by her Democratic challenger. However, Democratic incumbent Rep. Dexter Grimsley of Abbeville was also unseated by his Republican challenger; thus, there is no net change in the political composition of the legislature even though there was unusually high turnover in the members overall. Ledbetter is the former Mayor of Rainsville. Ledbetter was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 204. Speaker McCutcheon elected to not run again for the state legislature. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Nathaniel Ledbetter to retain Mark Tuggle as Chief of Staff
Last Wednesday, State Rep. Nathaniel Ledbetter announced that he will retain Mark Tuggle as his chief of staff when he is elected as the Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives. Ledbetter was elected as the choice of House Republicans in their post-election Caucus meeting of the House Republicans. Since the GOP maintained its’ commanding 77 to 28 supermajority lead in the November 8 election, the choice of the Republican Caucus is going to be the Speaker of the House when the Legislature meets in an organizational session, likely in January. Tuggle is a former member of the House who has served as Chief of Staff for outgoing Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon. Tuggle is a professional forester and a retired employee of the Alabama Power Company. “Mark was an outstanding legislator during his time in the Alabama House, and he has proven himself to be an equally talented chief of staff under Speaker McCutcheon,” Ledbetter said. “I know that Mark will be a source of wise counsel and sage advice as we work to tackle the challenges that Alabama faces in the coming quadrennium, and I look forward to working alongside him if elected speaker.” Tuggle was part of the 2010 class of Republican legislators, who were elected in a wave election that gave Republicans control of the House after 135 years of Democratic control of the body. Tuggle represented House District 81 for eight years and served as Chairman of the House State Government Committee. Tuggle has served as the Speaker’s chief of staff since leaving the Legislature in 2018. “As a member of the Alabama House, Mark set himself apart as a leader and proved a valuable source of wise counsel, so I’m pleased to continue utilizing his talents as my chief of staff,” McCutcheon said in a statement when he first appointed Tuggle. “Alabama faces many challenges that the Legislature must resolve, and Mark will play a large role in developing and passing needed solutions to those important issues.” “When I decided against seeking another term in the House, I assumed my work in state government had ended, but Speaker McCutcheon convinced me to continue serving the citizens of Alabama in this new role,” Tuggle said. “As a former member, I’ll be able to advise the new House members with the perspective of someone who has once held the same responsibilities, and I will work with the returning members as someone they already know and trust.” Tuggle has a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a master’s degree from Faulkner University. He and his wife, Michelle, have one daughter. Ledbetter will be the third Republican Speaker of the House, succeeding McCutcheon, who was elected Speaker of the House in 2016 after Speaker Mike Hubbard was found guilty of felony ethics violations by a Lee County Grand Jury. Seth Hammett was the last Democratic Speaker of the House. Democratic nominee Phillip Ensler successfully unseated incumbent Rep. Charlotte Meadows in the midterm elections. However, Republican nominee Rick Rehm successfully unseated incumbent Democratic incumbent Dexter Grimsley. Thus, there was no net change in the Republican-dominated Legislature. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Randy Kelley: Democrats have work to do after election showing
Alabama Democrats saw disappointing results in Tuesday’s election as the party continues to struggle to find its footing after the defeat of former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones. Democratic candidates in statewide races were held to about 30% of the vote on Tuesday, about 10 percentage points lower than four years ago, in an election noted for low voter turnout and a lack of competitive races at the top of the ticket “We’ve got to debrief, regroup and call our troops together. So, we’ll strategize and go on from here,” Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley said in a telephone interview. “I’m still optimistic despite being disappointed that our candidates didn’t win. We had some wonderful people running … But on the other hand, we’ve got some homework to do.” Voter turnout on Tuesday was an estimated 38.5%, according to unofficial returns. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Yolanda Flowers, who carried only 29% of the vote against Republican Gov. Kay Ivey after a poorly financed, shoestring campaign, said many voters didn’t realize her status as the first Black female to win a major party’s nomination for the office in Alabama. Speaking at a small gathering of supporters on election night, she told reporters some of the blame lies with the Alabama Democratic Party. “My team, they shared with me there was some hurt,” said Flowers, a longtime educator and political novice who made frequent mention of her Christian faith. “I wasn’t acknowledged as the candidate, the one to represent the state or the party.” Flowers said she received donations from some local Democratic groups, but her only real support from the state organization was contact with its vice chair, Tabitha Isner. Describing both the Democratic and Republican parties as “messed up,” Flowers said she plans to run for governor again in four years and won’t do anything differently. Her main purpose, she said, is “to keep God at the forefront.” The party has been through a power struggle in the past several years, as well as recent internal squabbling. Kelley this week sent party leaders a memo accusing Isner of overstepping her role. The Alabama Democratic Party’s Twitter account has been silent since August, when leadership changed hands. The party’s Youth Caucus wrote in a tweet this week that, “Alabama Democratic Party Leadership are fighting like 2-year-olds.” The Deep South was once the Solid South for the Democratic Party. But Alabama and other Southern states shifted to Republican control as white Southerners increasingly flocked to the GOP in a trend largely set in motion by the civil rights movement more than 50 years ago. Beleaguered Alabama Democrats were heartened by Jones’ 2017 victory in a special election. But the win did not translate to other gains. A slate of Democratic candidates were held to about 40% of the vote in 2018. Jones was defeated in 2020. Democrats on Tuesday were able to flip a legislative seat for the first time since 2010. Attorney Phillip Ensler defeated Republican incumbent Charlotte Meadows to win the Montgomery House seat. However, that win was tempered by the loss of longtime Democratic incumbent Dexter Grimsley to Republican challenger Rick Rehm in a southeast Alabama district. Both wins were aided by changes to district lines during the last redistricting process. Democratic hopes to pick up additional legislative seats did not materialize. Lisa Ward, who unsuccessfully challenged Republican incumbent Sen. Gerald Allen for the district that includes both the University of Alabama and rural west Alabama, said she remains optimistic. “You can’t give up because they say it’s a red state,” Ward said. She said she ran to bring attention to rural Alabama, and she said people in need don’t care about the party’s internal squabbles. “All they know is their water is brown, and they can’t pay rent, and their grocery tax is too high,” Ward said.
Alabama Republicans dominate statewide races
As expected, Alabama Republicans won every statewide race. Kay Ivey was easily re-elected, and political newcomer Katie Britt will be the next U.S. Senator from Alabama. Republican incumbents Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth, Attorney General Steve Marshall, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate, and Treasurer Young Boozer were easily re-elected. Republican State Representatives Wes Allen and Andrew Sorrell won the open Secretary of State and Auditor races. Republicans also held their supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature and won the open State Supreme Court Justice race. Ivey won by an even larger percentage than in 2018 in 2022. Ivey had 69.9% of the vote as of press time. Yolanda Flowers’ 29.2% performance was the worst performance by a Democratic nominee in memory. Ivey improved her percentage victory by over 10% (69.9% versus 59.5%) of the vote; but actually had fewer votes than four years ago – 944,845 in 2022 versus 1,022,457 in 2018. Ivey’s two landslide victories makes her the most popular Republican governor in state history. Yolanda Flowers only received only 411,269 votes, whereas Walt Maddox received 694,495 votes. Ivey is the first Republican woman to serve as Governor of Alabama. She was already the longest-serving woman governor in state history and the first woman in state history to be re-elected as governor. Ivey won the 2022 election for governor, the 2018 election for governor, the 2014 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2010 election for Lieutenant Governor, the 2006 election for State Treasurer, and the 2002 election for State Treasurer. This unprecedented run makes Ivey the most successful woman politician in the history of Alabama. Ivey, age 78, is also the oldest governor in the state’s history. Election night was hugely disappointing for Libertarians. While they did get ballot access for the first time since 2022, none of their candidates were able to get close to the 20% threshold needed to give the party ballot access in 2024 – even in statewide races where no Democrat even qualified. Gaining ballot access cost the Libertarian Party over $240,000 to get the necessary number of ballot access signatures to be on the ballot. If the party is going to be on the ballot in 2024, they will have to go through the ballot signature process. Libertarian candidate for Governor – Dr. Jimmy Blake, only received 45,825 votes (3.2%). It is unclear where Blake’s voters came from, disgruntled Republicans or Democrats who did not support Flowers. It was not a good night for write-in gubernatorial candidates. Dean Odle and Jared Budlong, representing the far right and far left respectively, received just 9,401 votes (0.67%). Since those votes will not be individually counted, so there is no way to know how many of those votes were Odle’s, Budlong’s, or someone else entirely. In the Senate race, Britt received 940,048 votes (66.6%). Democrat Dr. Will Boyd received 435,428 votes (30.87%). Libertarian John Sophocleus received 32,790 votes (2.32%). 2,454 Alabamians wrote in someone else. Britt is the first woman to win a U.S. Senate race in Alabama. In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, incumbent Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth won in a landslide. Ainsworth had 955,372 votes (83.69%). Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson had 178,069 votes (15.60%) – far short of the 20% Libertarians needed to guarantee them ballot access in 2024. 8,066 Alabamians (0.71%) wrote in someone else. Incumbent Attorney General Steve Marshall coasted to re-election, receiving 953,284 votes (67.91%) versus 449,193 votes (32%) for Democrat Wendell Major. Major received more votes than any Democrat running statewide. In the Secretary of State’s race, Republican Wes Allen won 923,206 votes (65.9%). Democrat Pamela Lafitte got 435,558 (31.1%), and Libertarian Matt Shelby received 41,480 votes (3%). In the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries race, incumbent Republican Rick Pate cruised to victory 944,021 (84.3%) over Libertarian Jason Clark 169,869 (15%). In the State Treasurer races, Republican incumbent Young Boozer trounced Libertarian Scott Hammond with 944,792 votes (83.75%) to 174,472 votes (15.47%). For State Auditor, Republican Andrew Sorrell won 947,719 votes (84.4%), while Libertarian Leigh Lachine had 166,243 votes (14.81%). For Alabama Supreme Court Place 5, political newcomer Republican Greg Cook won 941,059 votes (67.42%), while Democrat Anita Kelly received 453,518 votes (32.49%). Incumbent Republican Alabama Supreme Court Place 6 Kelli Wise was unopposed winning re-election 995,688 votes (97.51%). For Public Service Commission Place 1, Republican incumbent Jeremy Oden defeated Libertarian Ron Bishop 934,987 (83.73%) to 172,733 (15.47%). For Public Service Commission Place 2, incumbent Republican Chip Beeker received 929,248 votes (83.18%), while Laura Lane had 179,302 votes. Lane received more votes than any other Libertarian, but her 16.1% was still far below the 20% threshold that the Libertarians needed statewide. The Alabama Republican Party also retained its supermajorities in both Houses of the Legislature. Democrats flipped one Alabama House seat in Montgomery County (Charlotte Meadows), while Republicans flipped one Democratic seat in the Wiregrass (Dexter Grimsley). These numbers are all unofficial results from the Alabama Secretary of State’s office. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Mighty Alabama Strike Force to deploy to Georgia to help Herschel Walker win Senate
Shelby County Republican Party Chair Joan Reynolds spoke at the River Region Republican Club meeting at the Farmer’s Market Café on Tuesday. The Mighty Alabama Strike Force, which she heads, will begin making trips on Sunday to Georgia to help football legend Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senator, win the November 8 general election. Walker is challenging Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock. Reynolds said that the idea for the Mighty Alabama Strike Force began when then-Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-AL06) noted that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) needed help with a congressional race in North Carolina and asked Reynolds for her help. “My job was to recruit volunteers and train them,” Reynolds said. “The volunteers were all from in the area. When I got back home, I said I need to get two or three people that can help me. I ended up spending two or three weeks in Durham. I realized then how important volunteers are.” “It started under the Bush Administration,” Reynolds explained of her involvement in out-of-state congressional campaigns. “That is what I have been doing for the last 14 years.” Reynolds said she took her first volunteers from Alabama to a Senate race in Arkansas, where they campaigned in Jonesboro. “In 2012, I was asked to go to Sioux City, Iowa,” to help the Mitt Romney campaign, Reynolds explained. “There was a religious factor there as they (Iowa voters) were not going to vote for a Mormon.” Reynolds is married to Alabama’s Republican National Committeeman Paul Reynolds. “Paul put together a busload,” Reynolds said. “It was a small used school bus, and they went to Sioux City. Coming back, they ran into a problem when they broke down. After that, I realized we needed some money.” “My volunteers did not mind staying in homes, but they would rather stay in hotels,” Reynolds said. “In 2014, we went to Indiana and campaigned for Bill Cassidy. We went to Tennessee and campaigned for Marsha Blackburn. We won both of those.” “In 2016, Donald Trump decided to run,” Reynolds said. “He was such a forceful figure that it was easy to get volunteers. It was also easy to raise money.” “We spend a week, or we won’t go,” Reynolds said of the duration of the trips. “We were asked to go to Florida in 2020.” “In 2021, I was asked by one of my donors to see if we can go to Virginia to go to campaign for Glenn Youngkin,” Reynolds said. “That was the first time we got involved in a governor’s race.” “That was the first time that we had to fly,” Reynolds said. “It was right after we were getting over COVID, and the economy was just opening up. I contacted every bus company in Alabama, and it was cheaper to fly.” Youngkin won his election. “He said it was so important that we came and actually talked to people in the Commonwealth,” Reynolds said. Reynolds asked for help from Republicans across Alabama. “We cannot do it without funding, and we cannot do it without volunteers,” Reynolds said. “We do not charge them (the volunteers) for their rooms or their transportation. There is no administrative fee, and I don’t get one red cent out of it, and that is ok because I don’t do for profit.” Reynolds said that volunteering is demanding. “If you cannot walk three miles, then don’t go,” Reynolds said. “You have to be able to use an iPhone, a google phone, or an android in order to be able to download the maps that we use.” “We do not go to Democrat homes,” Reynolds said. “We will run into some where people have moved and changed homes, but we go to Republican homes. We are strictly about getting out the Republican vote. We have got to get the turnout. The turnout (in the primaries) has been awful. Even in Shelby County, we were at a measly 18 percent.” “Lindy Blanchard is our inhouse Captain,” from the Montgomery area, Reynolds said. “She is going to Savannah.” Pat Wilson with the Montgomery Republican Women announced that Terri Hasdorff will speak to the group on Tuesday, October 26, about her book, Running into the Fire. “I still need poll watchers to make sure that our election is strong as it can be,” Wilson said. “I was disgusted when I looked at our voter turnout last time. Less than 15% of our voters cared enough about our county and state to come out and vote. We need to get people involved.” Greg Pool is the Chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Party. State Rep. Charlotte Meadows (R-Montgomery) and Republican House District 69 candidate Karla Knight Maddox also spoke to the group asking for their efforts to get out the vote in the Montgomery area. Maddox thanked the River Region Republicans for their help and said she had been working hard traveling around House District 69, campaigning and meeting people. Pool said the latest polling by the Alabama Republican Party has Maddox moving into an evenly split with the Democratic incumbent. Meadows said, “If Karla and I get elected, that will mean a Republican majority on our (Montgomery County) legislative delegation.” 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.
Parker Snider: Arizona governor signs universal school choice legislation into law
School choice for every family, regardless of income, zip code or social status, has become reality in Arizona. This week, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) celebrated with parents, students and teachers at Phoenix Christian Preparatory School his signing of the nation’s most expansive school choice program in history into law. “Arizona is now the gold standard for educational freedom in America,” Governor Ducey said. “Our kids will no longer be stuck in under-performing schools. We’re unlocking their educational potential and advancing a bold new era of learning opportunities. Parents and teachers know there is no one-size-fits-all model to education. Kids and families should be able to access the school or learning program that best fits their unique needs — regardless of income or where they live. In Arizona, we’re making sure they have that choice.” The program offers any family, if they prefer a different education option other than the school they are zoned for, around $6,500 though an Empowerment Savings Account (similar to a health savings account but for K-12 education) to attend a private school, pay for homeschooling expenses, enroll in an online school, or pay for other approved expenses. Six percent of Arizona students are already enrolled in schools of choice using Empowerment Savings Accounts, a voucher program. Prior to this law, the program was limited to those with special needs, military families, and children who have been adopted or are in foster care. The expansion, however, opens the program to all families in Arizona. Fox News host Greg Gutfeld praised the bill’s signing on The Five Wednesday evening. “What’s happening in Arizona is so amazing,” Gutfeld said. “We’re going to see a huge change…it’s the parents that are pushing this, and it’s really going to change things.” Arizona is setting the standard in the school choice movement, according to American Federation for Children fellow Corey DeAngelis. Arizona’s Governor Ducey agrees. “I want to say to every one of my fellow governors,” Governor Ducey said Tuesday, “you can grab this bill, scratch out Arizona, write your state in, pass it through the two chambers, and you can have a ceremony like we’re going to celebrate today.” In the 2022 regular session, Alabama legislators had the opportunity to pass similar legislation as Arizona. The Parent’s Choice Act, SB140 sponsored by Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) and Rep. Charlotte Meadows (R-Montgomery), would have offered families over $5,000 per student to use for private school tuition and other approved expenses through an Education Savings Account. That bill, however, did not get a vote in either the House or the Senate. Many Republicans simply did not seem interested, even though school choice is a part of the party’s national platform. The Alabama Policy Institute, in fact, was one of only a few groups that supported the bill publicly. Governor Kay Ivey also did not openly support or oppose the bill. As more and more states adopt expanded school choice, however, the governor and quiet legislators will likely have to break their silence on the issue. Parker Snider is the Director of Social Policy for the Alabama Policy Institute.
Parker Snider: Arizona poised to expand school choice to every student
A school choice measure that would allow all 1.1 million Arizona students to use state-funded education savings accounts passed in the state’s House of Representatives this week. The bill, HB2853, expands the state’s current education savings account program, which today serves just under 12,000 children, to all Arizona students. According to Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children, the program will be the largest in the nation if approved. That approval looks likely. The Arizona Senate seems poised to vote in its favor and Governor Doug Ducey, a school choice advocate, will likely sign the bill. Passage in the House, where two Republican members switched votes to push it over the finish line, appears to have been its most difficult legislative hurdle. Even so, there is some opposition. The Arizona Education Association, a teachers union, and an organization called “Save Our Schools Arizona” are calling on Senators to vote ‘no’. Knowing their efforts are likely to fail, Save Our Schools Arizona is planning a referendum campaign to force a vote of the people. A similar referendum in 2017 and 2018 was successful in stopping an earlier program expansion. That rejection, of course, was before the pandemic which caused many parents and families to see the benefits of school choice. If the measure goes into effect, families will be able to use the money–between $6,000 and $7,000 a year–for private school tuition, tutoring, homeschooling materials, and other approved expenses. Already many Arizona children are enrolled in a school of choice. 15% of Arizona students currently attend charter schools, which are privately operated schools that receive funding and some oversight from the local school district. Another 6% are enrolled in the private schools through Arizona’s current private school choice program. In Alabama, less than .1% of students are enrolled in charter schools. Only .5% are enrolled in private schools through a school choice program. This is not due to lack of demand, as many needy students attempting to escape their failing schools are not given the opportunity. Alabama’s school choice programs are simply too limited and are only serving the smallest number of students. In the 2022 Regular Session, Alabama legislators had the opportunity to pass similar legislation as Arizona. The Parent’s Choice Act, SB140 sponsored by Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) and Rep. Charlotte Meadows (R-Montgomery), would have offered families over $5,000 per student to use for private school tuition and other approved expenses through an Education Savings Account. Like in Arizona, the state’s teachers union was vocally against the bill. Unlike in Arizona, Alabama’s GOP-dominated legislature did not put the bill up for discussion in the Senate or the House, much less pass it into law. The fact that expanding school choice is a part of the national Republican Party platform seems a non-issue for most Alabama legislators. Whether such duplicity matters to Alabama residents, however, remains to be seen. Parker Snider is the Director of Policy Analysis for the Alabama Policy Institute.
House advanced bill named for slain police officer, Nick Risner
The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday voted to restrict the use of good behavior incentives to shorten prison sentences, a bill brought in reaction to the slaying of a north Alabama police officer. Representatives voted 99-1 for the bill seeking to prohibit anyone convicted of manslaughter from qualifying for “good time” incentives. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate. The bill is called the Sergeant Nick Risner Act. It is named after the 40-year-old Sheffield police officer who was killed while pursuing a suspect last year. Risner’s widow watched from the House gallery as lawmakers voted on the bill. “I’m bringing this bill, so hopefully another family will not have to go through what they did,” said Republican Rep. Phillip Pettus, the sponsor of the bill and a former state trooper. Brian Lansing Martin is charged with killing Risner, the father of one, and William Mealback Jr. of Cypress Inn, Tennessee. Martin had been released from prison in 2016 after serving a little over three years of a 10-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of his father. Alabama currently allows some inmates sentenced to 15 or fewer years in prison to qualify for good behavior incentives. Good time is not given for Class A felonies such as murder and rape. The bill also would prohibit inmates convicted of manslaughter from qualifying for good time. “If you kill somebody, you do not get good time,” Pettus said of his bill. Behavior incentives are commonly used to try to combat prison violence by giving inmates a reason to follow rules. Pettus said Martin had his good time taken away, but it was later restored to him by a prison official. “Whoever let him out ought to take his place,” Rep. Lynn Greer, a Republican from Rogersville, said. While the bill had near-unanimous support, a few lawmakers questioned if the problem was with the good time statute or how it was applied in Martin’s case. They asked if it would be short-sighted to make the change. “I’m just concerned that we are going to take away the hope that those people have, and then where is the incentive for them to behave,” Rep. Charlotte Meadows, a Republican from Montgomery, said. Pettus responded that inmates convicted of manslaughter would still be eligible for parole. He said the legislation didn’t change anything else in the good time law, beyond making inmates convicted of manslaughter ineligible. Representatives stood to applaud Risner’s family after the vote. “Mrs. Risner, you have our respect and our prayers,” House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
