Napoleon Bracy, Kirk Hatcher enter Democratic race for 2nd congressional district
by Jemma Stephenson, Alabama Reflector Two Democratic state legislators have entered the race for Alabama’s new 2nd Congressional District, and a third said Monday he will decide whether to get in in the next 10 days. Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, said in an interview Monday that he will run for the seat. The district stretches from the Mississippi border to the Georgia line and includes Montgomery and much of the Black Belt. “We have an opportunity in this district, for these counties represented, to impact a whole host of issues,” said Hatcher. Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard, said in a statement Monday he would also run for the new seat. “This is our time, our time to have a seat at the table built on the backs of those who, my entire lifetime, had been disregarded by their Congressional representatives due to their voting record or area code,” the statement said. House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, said in a phone interview Monday he would make a decision about the race before Nov. 9. The new 2nd Congressional District, created by a federal court order at the beginning of October, has a Black Voting Age Population (BVAP) of about 48.7%. With patterns of racial polarization in voting in Alabama, where white Alabamians tend to support Republicans and Black Alabamians tend to support Democrats, the seat is considered a pick-up opportunity for Democrats. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, is currently the only Democrat in Alabama’s seven-member U.S. House delegation. Hatcher, the director of Project Head Start in Montgomery, said he wanted to be an advocate for additional educational resources and for the military bases within the district. Hatcher also said he wants to get more “equity” when it comes to infrastructure issues. “I’m one of those individuals who’s not going in to upset the apple cart,” he said. “I go in to see what works.” Hatcher was elected to the Alabama House in 2018. He won election to the Alabama Senate in 2021 and was re-elected in 2021. Alabama Political Reporter first reported Hatcher’s candidacy. Hatcher said Monday he had the support of Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who had been seen as a top candidate for the race. Reed told Al.com’s Mike Cason earlier this month that he was considering a run. Adam Muhlendorf, a spokesman for Reed, said Monday the mayor had no comment on his congressional plans. Bracy, a member of the Alabama House since 2010, touted his legislative leadership, including his prior service as chair of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus in 2013. “At the heart of progress is education, healthcare, economics, and workforce development,” Bracy’s statement said. “And in communities where poverty is still real and economic development is scarce, we have watched the world grow around us while feeling the strain of disinvestment with no one to stand in the gap.” Bracy did not provide further comment beyond the statement. Daniels, who has touted his connections with Bullock County, said he had a track record of delivering programs around the state, including a bill passed in the Republican-controlled Legislature this spring to exempt overtime pay from income tax. He also cited work on behalf of Democratic candidates around the state. “What have you done to make an impact? That’s what voters want to know,” he said. Other figures may jump into the race. Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, said Monday that she was still exploring a candidacy, but she had not decided. She has filed with the FEC due to technicalities around her exploratory committee. Former Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Pike Road, said Monday he is still considering a run in the district. U.S. Rep Barry Moore’s chief of staff confirmed to Al.com’s John Sharp that he would be running in the new 1st Congressional District, setting up a primary battle with current U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile. The new map drew Moore, currently the U.S. representative for the 2nd Congressional District, into the 1st Congressional District. Brewbaker said that Moore’s decision “clears the way for me to run in the 2nd.” “But until I qualify, I don’t want to make an official announcement because you never know what God has for a person,” he said. One other candidate confirmed their candidacy Monday. Phyllis Harvey-Hall said in a phone interview Monday that she is running to be the “people’s candidate” and pointed to her previous runs in the district. Hall’s concerns included women’s healthcare and autonomy, as well as hospitals in rural areas. “So I’m running to be a people’s candidate, the voice and someone that’s going to fight for the things that we need today,” she said. Federal Election Commission filings also show that Harvey-Hall filed on Oct. 18, Terrell Anderson filed in April, and Austin Vigue filed in 2022. The Democratic primary for the seat will take place in March. Editor Brian Lyman contributed to this report. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence.Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Napoleon Bracy announces campaign for U.S. Congress in newly redrawn District 2
Today, Napoleon Bracy announced his campaign for Congress to represent District 2. District 2 was recently redrawn after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Allen v. Milligan that said Alabama’s previously-drawn map violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered new maps that create an “opportunity district” for minority voters to cast ballots for the candidates of their choice. Bracy has been a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing District 98, since 2010. He was elected to serve as chairman of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus in 2013 and is currently the co-chairman of the Mobile County Legislative Delegation. Bracy posted on Facebook, “I’ve been praying and now I’m about to step out on faith. Please pray for me and our community and please like and share to show your support.” Almost 30 percent of the state’s population is African American, but only one of the state’s seven congressional districts has a Black representative: Congresswoman Terri Sewell, who represents District 7. “We are taking this thing to Congress,” Bracy said. “This district is made up of so many cities, communities, and neighborhoods just like the one I grew up in—places hurting with high poverty and crime rates, unemployment that just don’t have a lot of opportunities, some of it is because they’ve been overlooked. This gives us an opportunity to finally have a seat at the table and get the things we deserve.” Bracy graduated from Blount High School in 1995 and is a 2000 graduate of Dillard University of New Orleans. He received his Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Pentecostal Bible College of Tuskegee, Alabama, in 2014. Bracy is the manager of diversity and inclusion for Austal USA, a defense contractor for the U.S. Department of Defense. He began his political career at age 26, in 2004, with the Prichard City Council, representing District 3.
Minority Leader Anthony Daniels comments on the Lewiston, Maine mass shooting
On Thursday, Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Madison) issued a statement commenting on the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, on October 25, 2023. “At one time, a mass shooting that claimed 18 lives and left more than a dozen injured would be considered unthinkable,” Daniels said. “Sadly, our continued failure to effectively address the ongoing crisis of gun violence has made it the new normal in communities across our nation. This morning, yet another small-town American community is left devastated. This Thanksgiving, more families will have empty seats at their tables.” “Our hearts go out to the people of Lewiston, Maine. We grieve with all of those who have lost friends, family, and loved ones. We pray for the recovery of all those who have been wounded,” Daniels continued. “And we deeply appreciate the service of our police, law enforcement, and emergency first responders. “For far too long, we have somehow become numb to these almost daily acts of gun violence that have torn apart neighborhoods across our nation,” Daniels continued. “We must come together to find a way forward to end this senseless cycle of gun violence that has shattered so many of our communities. There is no reason that we cannot enact meaningful gun safety legislation – practical measures that are widely supported by voters of both parties, including responsible, law-abiding gun owners.” “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the consequences of our collective failure to act to keep our communities, families, and children safe,” Daniels said. “We can do better. We must end the scourge of gun violence in our nation, including right here in Alabama. We cannot accept this as our “new normal.” Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) commented on X about the mass shooting. “My heart goes out to all those affected by last night’s horrific mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine,” Rep. Sewell said on the X social media platform. “Our thoughts and prayers are important but they are not enough. What we need is ACTION to put an end to this senseless loss of life.” As of press time, the Lewistown shooting suspect – Robert Card – is still at large and considered armed and dangerous. Maine Police are currently acting on several search warrants to capture Card. Meanwhile, the investigation continues at the crime scene. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Reps. Terri Sewell and Gary Palmer vote for resolution to support Israel and condemn Hamas
Congressmembers Gary Palmer (R-AL06) and Terri Sewell (D-D07) released statements after voting for a House Resolution supporting Israel and condemning Hamas. “The United States will always stand with our ally Israel,” said Rep. Palmer. “The Hamas terror organization killed and kidnapped hundreds and left a trail of blood and death in their wake. Hamas struck on their Sabbath day hoping to ignite a war to annihilate the nation of Israel. These types of atrocities should be condemned by all. Most importantly, Israel has every right to bring justice to those who committed these acts – and those who supported Hamas in carrying them out.” Rep. Sewell also voted in favor of H.Res. 771, a bipartisan resolution standing with Israel as it defends itself against the brutal terrorist attack launched by Hamas and other terrorists and condemning Hamas’ war against Israel. “I condemn Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel in the strongest possible terms,” said Rep. Sewell. “With this bipartisan resolution, my colleagues and I are sending a strong message that the United States stands steadfast with Israel and its right to defend itself.” “Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal measures of freedom, security, opportunity, and dignity,” continued Sewell. “I have long supported a two-state solution that would help build a bridge toward a more sustainable future in the region. The U.S. must exercise its leadership to foster a peaceful coexistence between Israel and its neighbors.” Rep. Sewell was an original cosponsor of H.Res. 771. The resolution passed in the House of Representatives by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 412 to 10. On October 7, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel by air, land, and sea’ while bombarding the country with thousands of rockets. Over 1300 Israelis were killed, including 32 Americans. Over 2,800 Israelis were wounded, and over 200 were taken hostage and are being held by Hamas somewhere in Gaza. Israel has been bombing Gaza in response and is poised to send in ground forces. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Rep. Terri Sewell calls new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson a MAGA extremist
After 22 days of internal GOP battles over which faction got to pick the Speaker and little House business getting done, the U.S. House of Representatives finally agreed upon a Speaker of the House Wednesday. Republicans chose Congressman Mike Johnson as the 56th Speaker of the House. Johnson represents his native Shreveport and the state’s fourth district. On Wednesday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) released a statement regarding the election of Rep. Johnson as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sewell expressed her concerns about Johnson and called him a “MAGA extremist.” “While I am grateful that House Republicans have finally ended their stalemate and selected a new House Speaker, I am gravely disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle have rejected our calls for bipartisanship and empowered yet another MAGA extremist,” said Sewell. “I have very serious concerns about Mike Johnson’s record, namely his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, his hostility toward our hard-fought rights and freedoms, and his work to slash Social Security and Medicare,” Sewell said. “I will work with Speaker Johnson where we can agree but make no mistake; when it comes to protecting our democracy, our freedoms, and the programs that Americans rely on, I will not back down.” Since President Donald Trump’s (R) election in 2016, new Republican candidates elected to Congress have tended to become more in line with his “Make America Great Again” agenda. Meanwhile, many moderate Republicans in swing districts and blue states lost or retired from Congress when House Republicans lost the majority in 2018. The GOP regained the majority in 2022, but those new Republicans and the old GOP leadership who had served for decades under multiple presidents had a clash of agendas and personalities. The Speaker’s battle effectively repudiated the entire Republican leadership team. MAGA Republicans, many of them in the Freedom Caucus, ousted Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) and then respectively rejected both the House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota). Moderates and more mainstream conservatives formed a block to reject Freedom Caucus Founding Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), but it was clear to everyone after the rejection of Emmer on Tuesday that the House Republican Conference was ready to move in a new, more rightward direction. Johnson is an attorney, a former state legislator, a college professor, a former conservative talk radio host, and a spokesman for groups advocating for religious liberty. In January 2021, Johnson was elected Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. Johnson also serves as a Deputy Whip for the 118th Congress. Johnson was elected to Congress while Trump was in office but has quickly risen through the GOP ranks. In 2021, Johnson was elected Vice Chairman of the House Republican Conference. In 2022, he was also selected as a Deputy Whip. Now, he is the 56th Speaker of the House, with far fewer years of congressional tenure than McCarthy, Scalise, Jordan, or Emmer, and the second most powerful person in the U.S. government. Johnson had the support of all six Republican members of the Alabama Congressional delegation. 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.
Terri Sewell applauds Gov. Kay Ivey’s approval of controversial West Alabama Highway project
On Monday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey approved the West Alabama Highway project, signing the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) contracts to proceed with the five-laning. Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07), who represents much of the area, applauded the governor’s action. Sewell said on the social media platform known as X, “I applaud @GovernorKayIvey for approving the West Alabama Corridor Project. This project will bring much-needed jobs and economic development to communities in the Black Belt. Allowing it to move forward was the right thing to do.” The contracts to proceed with the project were held up for 45 days by the Legislature’s Contract Review Committee. State Senator Chris Elliott (R-Daphne) held up the contracts because he argued that the expensive projects would slow the timeline on other projects like widening Interstate 65. “They are trying to lock this down while she (Ivey) is still in there,” Elliott said. Elliott was also concerned about the lack of federal support for the project. “They never asked,” Elliott said of ALDOT. “They are not going to ask. They said something about getting those federal grants is too difficult, and they have not had luck in the past.” Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth also opposes the project in a rare public rift with the Governor. The dispute centers around a nearly $75 million contract to design the 83 miles of widening of the road necessary to make it five lanes from Mobile to Florence. The controversial project broke going toward that project, which broke ground in 2021. It aims to widen a two-lane roadway to four lanes and connect Thomasville to Tuscaloosa. Much of the money to build the project will be borrowed by the state. On Thursday, West Alabama leaders held a rally at the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce where they argued that the project was necessary and will both improve the quality of life and economic development for the region. Kyle South is the President and CEO of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. “We stand in support of the investment project known as the West Alabama Highway,” President South said. “We want the West Alabama Highway project to move forward without any further delays.” The Legislature’s Contract Review Committee cannot block a contract. All they can do is draw attention to a contract they find questionable by placing a hold on the signing of the contract. Once 45 days have passed, the Governor can sign the contract anyway, as Gov. Ivey did on Monday. The full committee did not vote to place the hold on the contract. Instead, Committee Chairman Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook) kept in place a committee policy where a single member can hold up a contract, which is what Elliott did. Elliott kept his hold in place for the 45-day maximum period of time. Terri Sewell has represented the Seventh Congressional District since 2011. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Mallory Hagan: Hospital consolidation is killing patients
For people already working to make ends meet, choosing between paying for medical visits and other critical needs like childcare, rent, and groceries can be impossible. But that is exactly what many people here in Alabama and across the country face when they cannot afford medical care. It is a system rife with out-of-control costs, and it is time to confront them head-on. We need our elected leaders to take the necessary steps to help solve the causes that are driving up healthcare costs. No patient who leaves a doctor’s office should see an unexpected upcharge on their medical bill from a previous visit, but that is exactly what is happening for many healthcare consumers in Alabama. It starts with hospital consolidation. A recent article highlighting an analysis from the Physicians Advocacy Institute shows that nearly 70 percent of all doctors were employed by either a hospital or a corporation in 2021. The article goes on to say “the medical groups were associated with higher prices.” And that is the problem. These new owners of physician practices are driving up costs through unfair medical billing. How does this happen? When a large hospital corporation takes over private physician practices and a patient goes in for a routine doctor visit at that practice, hospitals can charge higher prices for the delivery of care. The upcharge is solely based on new ownership of the location – not on the care they received. It is a troubling trend brought on by large hospital consolidation, leaving patients with higher medical costs and exacerbating our nation’s grim outlook on the affordability of health care. Sherry Glied, the dean of the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University, said, “Private equity is like the system on steroids. Every time there is an opportunity for making money, [private equity] is going to move faster than everyone else. And consolidation is the way to do that.” Shame on them for putting profit over patients. It is imperative that lawmakers take action to combat unfair hospital billing. I’m glad to see that the Facilitating Accountability in Reimbursements Act (FAIR) proposed in the House and the Site-based Invoicing and Transparency Act (SITE) proposed in the Senate are opportunities to crack down on unfair medical billing practices, creating a pathway for site-neutral payment policies that could reduce Medicare spending by a whopping $153 billion. The support of everyone in the Alabama delegation is necessary to move the FAIR and SITE Acts forward, especially leaders like Congresswoman Terri Sewell, who sit on influential committees like the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health. I look forward to a healthcare landscape in Alabama and across the country where more patients can focus on improving their health and that of their loved ones, not toiling over unfair hospital bills. The bipartisan work of our lawmakers can help bring costs down for patients through sensible, fair billing reform. It is imperative that the work starts now. Alabama families, workers, seniors, and children are waiting to see the benefits of these much-needed cost-savings. Mallory Hagan was crowned Miss America in 2013 and now resides in Madison, Alabama.
Rep. Terri Sewell announces over $38 million in DOJ funding to make Alabama communities safer
This week, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced more than $38 million in federal funding from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to fight crime and make Alabama communities safer. The funding is part of a nationwide push to prevent and reduce crime by providing federal resources to combat gun violence, sex trafficking, substance abuse, and violence against women and children. “Making our communities safer for our children and families has always been a top priority of mine,” said Sewell in a press release. “This $38 million from the Department of Justice will go a long way in doing just that. Together, these grants will ensure that our community organizations, local law enforcement, and especially our rural police departments have the tools they need to break the cycle of violence, prevent crime, strengthen police accountability, and save lives. I was so proud to advocate for this funding at the federal level and will continue working with our state and local partners to keep Alabamians safe.” Rep. Sewell announced the following DOJ grants for Alabama: Bessemer, Birmingham, and Jefferson County Tuscaloosa and Tuscaloosa County Selma and Dallas County Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State of Alabama – Miscellaneous Agencies and Organizations
Robert Aderholt and Barry Moore vote against ouster of Speaker McCarthy; Terri Sewell is saddened by the move
On Tuesday, extreme elements within the House majority successfully ousted Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) less than 72 hours after McCarthy’s ability to craft a bipartisan compromise saved the government from a crippling shutdown. Both Congressmen Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) and Barry Moore (R-AL02) voted against the motion to vacate the House Speakership. “Today, I voted against the removal of Kevin McCarthy as the current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,” Aderholt said in a statement. “I am certainly disappointed that Speaker McCarthy has been removed. While no Speaker is perfect, as no member of Congress is perfect, I believe that Speaker McCarthy has done the best he can in bringing conservative bills to the floor. We must remember that Republicans have one of the narrowest margins in the history of the United States House of Representatives.” “Our nation currently has many challenges, and certainly, the debt of this country, and the crisis at the border, are issues that must be dealt with,” Aderholt continued. “Republicans must find a way to work together to do the most we can do until we can grow our majority. We don’t give up because we can’t win everything today. I will never give in and never quit fighting to solve the debt problem and the disaster at the border.” Barry Moore also voted against the motion to vacate the chair and remove McCarthy as Speaker. “Congress has 41 days left to fund the government by getting the remaining appropriations bills passed — let’s not waste them,” said Rep. Moore. “If we keep our eye on the prize, we have the chance to do something that hasn’t been done in 26 years. We can fund the government through regular order with cuts to Biden’s out-of-control spending that is currently imposing a 17% inflation tax on Americans, but not if we waste time on infighting about the motion to vacate.” Moore voted against the 45-day continuing resolution on Saturday that kept the government funded. Even House Judiciary Committee Chairman and Freedom Caucus member Jim Jordan spoke in support of McCarthy. Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) released a statement regarding the passage of House Republicans’ motion to vacate the chair, removing McCarthy as House Speaker. “This is a sad and unprecedented day for America,” Rep. Sewell said in a statement. “Government works best when we have two functioning political parties that are willing to put people over politics. What is clear is that House Republicans are divided among themselves and have unleashed chaos, dysfunction, and extremism at every turn.” This is the first time in U.S. history that a sitting speaker has been voted to be removed. There are now essentially three factions in the House of Representatives: Democrats, mainstream Republicans, and a small faction of ultra-conservatives who are not swayed by even the majority of their own caucus. None of the three factions have enough votes to govern by themselves. “My Democratic colleagues and I remain willing to find common ground, but it is up to House Republicans to end this GOP civil war.” The Washington Post is reporting that McCarthy has told House Republicans that he will not be a candidate for Speaker of the House again. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: It’s Official – Alabama will have new Congressional Districts
It’s official and final. Alabama will elect our seven-member congressional delegation under new lines next year. The federal court has spoken. The special master drawing the lines has acted, and the final omnipotent power, the U.S. Supreme Court, has concurred and confirmed the decision. It is over. The result that the plaintiffs desired has been decreed by the courts. There will be a new second majority Black Congressional district. This accomplishment has been sought for decades. Now the question becomes, can the Democrats succeed in electing a Black Democrat to this new opportunity district? It is not a slam dunk. The new district is 50% Black and 50% White. It favors a Montgomery candidate. The bulk of the population and the geographic center of the new district is Montgomery County. Montgomerians are like the rest of the state. They adhere to the well-known predilection known as “friends and neighbors” politics. That means they prefer to vote for someone from their neck of the woods, especially their county. My early prediction is that Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed will be the Democratic nominee and the favorite to win the new seat. The special master that drew the new lines attached an index to his maps that revealed that if there were a congressional race within this new district that this district would have voted for the Democrat in 15 out of 17 of the last 17 elections. Therefore, the court’s desire to make a second minority Democratic district where a Democrat has a good opportunity to win has been accomplished. The entire basis of this high-profile federal case has been centered around the fact that Alabama has one Black Democratic Congressperson, Terri Sewell, and six White Republicans. One Black Democrat constitutes 14% of the state’s population. The plaintiff’s argument is that the state’s Black population is 27%. Therefore, there should be two Black Democratic congressional seats in the Heart of Dixie. The courts bought that argument and hung their hat on the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and having one seat rather than two violates and dilutes Black voters in Alabama’s voting rights. The question now becomes, what are the down-home political implications and results of these court-mandated new congressional lines? All of you who live in middle and north Alabama, which is most of you, are unaffected. The majority of the people in Alabama who live in Birmingham north are not affected. In fact, everyone north of Montgomery is unaffected. All of the commotion and redrawing has occurred in Montgomery, the Black Belt, the Wiregrass, and Mobile. Our three powerful Republican congressmen are left with basically their same districts. Republicans Robert Aderholt, Mike Rogers, and Gary Palmer, who are our centers of power in the House, have their same, if not enhanced, GOP districts. Huntsville’s freshman congressman, Dale Strong’s district is unchanged. Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s Democratic district has been favored in the drawings. She has a perfectly drawn district that pretty much mirrors her current Birmingham-based seat. She will probably be spared a Republican challenge. However, State Senator Bobby Singleton, who hails from the Black Belt, may challenge her in a Democratic primary out of spite. He wanted a district that favored him but lost to Sewell in the legislative battles over the drawing of the new Black district. The real rubber meets the road within the Republican ranks in the Wiregrass, and Mobile and Baldwin counties. The five Wiregrass counties of Covington, Dale, Geneva, Houston, and Coffee are sent to Baldwin and Mobile. Therefore, new Congressmen Jerry Carl from Mobile and Barry Moore from Enterprise/Coffee are in the same district. Moore is the odd man out in this dilemma. The majority of votes in this new district are in Baldwin and Mobile counties. Carl will be the prohibitive favorite against Moore or any other Republican. It will be a very conservative Republican district. Therefore, six of our seven seats will be in safe reelection journeys for our incumbent congressmen. Jerry Carl in the first, Mike Rogers in the third, Robert Aderholt in the fourth, Dale Strong in the fifth, Gary Palmer in the sixth, and Terri Sewell in the seventh are very safe bets for reelection in 2024. Therefore, all of the turmoil and court intervention only affects one area of the state. All the brouhaha and action will be in the newly drawn second district. It is Montgomery Democratic Mayor Steven Reed’s race to lose. He will be the favorite to win and change Alabama’s delegation in Washington from six Republicans and one Democrat to five Republicans and two Democrats. However, I would handicap that race as a 50/50 toss-up. There will be a lot of Republican dollars from Washington showered upon the Republican nominee. It will be interesting. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Congress passes deal to keep government funded
On Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (C.R.) to keep the U.S. government funded and avoid a crippling government shutdown. President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan C.R., giving both houses of Congress another 45 days to finish their 12 funding bills for the 2024 fiscal year, which began on October 1. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville blamed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) for not bringing the bills to the floor for regular order. “I am glad that the government is not going to shut down. But this is no way to run a government. This entire spectacle up here never should have happened,” Sen. Tuberville said. “This Clown Show in Washington needs to learn how to govern. That means passing 12 appropriations bills, which a bipartisan group of Senators on the Appropriations Committee did a long time ago. But Chuck Schumer and the Democrats who run Washington don’t want to do that. We cannot lurch from crisis to crisis anymore. We need to finally get to regular order and govern like adults.” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama) blamed President Biden for a lack of leadership. “After completely unnecessary political fire drills, ultimately both chambers were able to come together not only to keep the federal government open but reject President Biden’s misguided supplemental request,” said Sen. Britt. “Now, we will be able to pay our troops, the Border Patrol, and Capitol Police and help our neighbors in Florida and the people of Hawaii recover. We will continue the critical fight for border security while we work to pass responsible appropriations bills through regular order. In the coming weeks, I’ll work with my colleagues to advance spending measures that are judicious, strategic, transparent, and accountable.” Both Houses of Congress were working on a bipartisan C.R. to keep the government funded. The House of Representatives passed theirs Saturday afternoon in a 335 to 91 vote. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) then announced that the Republicans in the Senate would be withdrawing their support for the Senate bill and instead be backing the House bill. Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) voted for the bipartisan 45-day C.R. “While I remain frustrated that my Republican colleagues have brought us to the brink of a costly and devastating government shutdown, I am grateful that Speaker [Kevin] McCarthy has finally chosen to work with Democrats at the last minute to extend government funding,” said Rep. Sewell. “While this measure is not perfect, it avoids deep cuts that House Republicans attempted to push through earlier this week and provides critical disaster relief funding that communities in Alabama depend on.” The House version of the C.R. was then voted on and passed by the Senate on Saturday night. The government is funded, but no deal has been reached on federal spending or addressing the crisis on the U.S. southern border. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Terri Sewell says government shut down “would hurt working families”
With just three days remaining until a government shutdown, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) warned that House Republicans are risking serious consequences for Alabama families. “Alabama families shouldn’t be forced to pay the price for House Republicans’ inability to govern,” said Rep Sewell. “A Republican government shutdown would force troops to work without pay, harm small businesses, risk air travel disruptions, and endanger access to food assistance for families. It is unconscionable that House Republicans would hurt working families, damage our economy, and endanger our national security.” “I will continue to do everything in my power to keep the government open and protect the programs that Alabamians rely on,” continued Sewell. “It’s time for House Republicans to do their jobs, put American families first, and stop charging towards a government shutdown.” Recently, Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) in cosponsoring bipartisan legislation titled the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2023. This legislation would take government shutdowns off the table and force Congress to stay in town until the budgets are passed. “Shutdowns don’t accomplish anything,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Where I come from, you stay at work until you get the job done. Congress should be forced to stay in D.C. until we pass a responsible, fiscally conservative budget.” According to new data released by House Budget Committee Minority, a government shutdown would: Sewell wrote on X, “If Republicans shut down the government, families who rely on food assistance will be turned away at grocery stores, workers will miss paychecks, and our troops will be forced to serve without pay.@HouseDemocrats are ready to prevent a shutdown. We need Republicans to join us.”
