State Representative Chris Pringle (R-Mobile) announced Monday he is endorsing Jerry Carl’s campaign for Congress.
Carl and former State Senator Bill Hightower (R-Mobile) are currently in a runoff for the Republican nomination for Alabama’s First Congressional District.
Pringle, a former competitor in the AL-01 congressional race, placed third in the March 3 primary, garnering 19.23% of the total vote.
Carl narrowly placed first on primary night, edging out Hightower by 1% (1,226 total votes).
Since neither campaign received over 50% of the vote, the two top finishers will now face each other in a runoff on March 31.
The Carl campaign is hoping endorsements from Pringle and fourth-place finisher Wes Lambert will be enough to get them past the 50% threshold.
“I am confident Jerry Carl will go to Congress and stand with President Trump. I know Jerry – he’s tough, he has a backbone, and he has what it takes to build the wall, defend the unborn, and fight for the interests of South Alabama,” said Pringle in a statement released by the Carl campaign.
Pringle also extensively criticized the Club for Growth.
Club for Growth’s Super-PAC is spending heavily to support Hightower.
Pringle said of Club for Growth, “It was clear to me that to receive their endorsement, I would need to make promises that would harm our area businesses and citizens. The Club for Growth’s lack of interest in South Alabama is troubling to me and I cannot in good conscience support a candidate backed by this outside DC money group.”
“[T]hey demanded a commitment from me to vote against critical legislation to our communities such as the Farm Bill and the National Flood Insurance Program,” Pringle explained with respect to his opposition to the Club’s policies.
Carl responded to the endorsement, saying in part, “Chris is a friend, a strong conservative, and someone who is in office for the right reasons – to get things done for our community. I’m honored to have his endorsement.”
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
