As a former state representative who held the House District 27 seat, I encourage all of my friends and neighbors in Marshall County to support Jeana Ross in the April 30 Republican runoff election. I have known Jeana all of my life, and her strong morals, her traditional values, and her commitment to her Christian […]

Alabama is a great place to do business, but we can be even better by helping employers address what they continually describe as their biggest challenge: finding workers with the right skills to get the job done. Businesses can’t thrive and grow if they can’t find qualified workers. Individuals can’t thrive without good jobs that […]

As the 2024 Regular Legislative Session began about three months ago, I had a column entitled “2024 Legislative Session Begins Next Week.” In that column I highlighted the leadership of the Alabama House and Senate. I said there were three primary leaders, Senator Greg Reed, Senator Arthur Orr, and Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter. […]

I grew up in a textile town that was once called “The Sock Capitol of the World.” So, if you had told me 20 years ago that Alabama would be the top automotive exporter in the country, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Everything changed when Mercedes planted roots here in 1997. In the last […]

Each April, the nation takes a week to come together to remember those who have fallen victim to crime. It is a week where we remind crime victims that they are seen and heard and that they are not alone. But it is also an opportunity to reaffirm, as a state and a nation, our uncompromising […]

More than 28 million adult Americans continue to be cigarette smokers, including more than 618,000 Alabamians. This habit not only hurts their personal health, but it also exposes others to toxic smoke and drives up health care costs. Fortunately, new legislation in the Alabama legislature could help put these smokers and the state on a […]

In the next few weeks, employees at the Mercedes Benz automotive manufacturing plant in Vance, Alabama will vote upon whether to join forces with Detroit’s United Auto Workers union and bring organized labor into the facility or whether to reject the bogus snake-oil hokum that union leaders have repeatedly attempted to sell them. As we […]

Putting America first has been and will remain my top priority. Recently, the House voted on crucial pieces of legislation that secure our Southern Border, protect America, and support some of our greatest allies. The Biden Administration’s failed policies and weak leadership on the global stage have made America less safe every day, and we cannot […]

Witnessing my daughter excel in her sophomore year at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, especially as she prepares to enter her Junior year in the nursing program, has deepened my respect for Alabama’s higher education system. Our universities provide rigorous academic opportunities and essential technical training tailored to the needs of key industries. In […]

Welcome to the new generation of Democrats. You’ve seen them. In fact, you can’t miss them. They are the ones waving Palestinian flags. They are the ones blocking streets and bridges in protest. They voice their disdain for the United States, all the while not realizing that they did not earn any of the privileges […]

Anyone who follows the Legislative Session each year in Montgomery, knows that it is never short of controversy.  The House has its priorities, the Senate has its own, and governors have theirs. And it is fair to say that those priorities are not always the same. You can take gaming this session as an example.  […]

On the heels of Alabama’s ballot harvesting ban, I am turning my attention towards the next step in ensuring Alabama elections are the most secure elections in the country: the outlawing of ranked-choice voting. SB 186 sponsored by Senator Arthur Orr and HB 423 sponsored by Representative Mark Shirey prohibit the use of ranked choice […]

Duncan Hunter was a Republican member of the House of Representatives from California’s 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981-2009. He was Chaiman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee during the 108th and 109th Congress.  When, a few days ago, a hail of Iranian drones and missiles descended on Israel, the onslaught was met […]

The free market always innovates faster than the speed of government. We see this in nearly every sector of the economy as new products emerge that defy old classifications. One area that is innovating faster than policymakers can keep up is in the tobacco industry, where new products are coming to market that offer adult smokers better alternatives. […]

Inflation may be one of the biggest challenges facing Alabama’s small businesses, but frivolous lawsuits make a bad situation even worse. Many lawsuits are legitimate. If you’ve been wronged, you have a constitutional right to seek justice. However, some lawsuits are brought for the wrong reasons. They’re filed because someone sees a chance to make […]

Those of you who live in the new Second Congressional District have runoffs this coming Tuesday. This is the most interesting and entertaining political contest in Alabama this year.   This new seat is comprised of all of Montgomery County, as well as most of the more rural counties surrounding Montgomery, including Macon, Lowndes, Bullock, Pike, […]

In the high-stakes Republican primary runoff for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, there is one clear cut choice: Dick Brewbaker. Make no bones about it, the winner in November may well determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. As someone who’s navigated the choppy waters of Alabama politics alongside Dick, I’m here to throw […]

Last week, the Alabama House of Representatives voice voted to non-concur with the Senate changes to HB 151 and HB 152 and created a conference committee of Reps Whitt, Jones, and Blackshear. The Senate hasn’t legislatively responded to the House action.  There is significant division amongst lawmakers on the issue of statewide legalization and expansion […]

The business community is united in its belief that expanding access to quality affordable childcare is essential to alleviating some of the burden caused by the skilled labor shortage we experience today. Currently, parents in Alabama make up 35% of the workforce. We know that when parents have access to high-quality, affordable childcare, employers benefit […]

It’s no secret that the state of our Southern Border is a complete disaster, and there is nobody to blame for that except for the Biden administration and the person they put in place to secure our borders – Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.  Securing the border has been and will remain my top […]

I was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2006. I have served District 66 for the last 18 years and am proud to consider myself an advocate for public education.  Each session is different from the last, but one issue that almost always seems to come around session after session is gaming. Let […]

As Mayor of Mobile, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges Alabama faces in attracting and retaining a strong workforce. Local businesses are eager to expand, and others are interested in locating to Alabama. However, our state’s critical shortage of affordable housing often stands in the way. In the Mobile area alone, 6,362 new jobs are […]

Our state is facing a situation that has the potential to destroy Alabama jobs, Alabama companies and Alabama communities. The UAW is selling snake oil to hardworking Alabamians employed at auto manufacturing plants in an attempt to fleece money from the pockets of good people. None of this is new to me. I was raised […]

We Americans are going to the polls in seven months, to elect the next President of the United States.  Election day is Nov. 5. We are getting set for a rematch between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.  Americans are not too enthused to see this replay. I have never seen two candidates with […]