On Monday, GOP Congressional candidate Robin Litaker spoke to the Second Amendment rights group BamaCarry in Tuscaloosa. Litaker is the Republican nominee in Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District, challenging incumbent Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham).
“I am doing this for all of us,” said Litaker. “I am a retired teacher, principal, and I have lived in Terry Sewell’s district for over 30 years and I am tired of it.”
Litaker won the GOP nomination when her GOP primary opponent dropped out of the race. Sewell on the other hand did have a Democratic primary challenger. Litaker had some difficulty raising funds to challenge the seven term incumbent.
Litaker through March 31 (the most recent Federal Election Commission report) has only raised $8,224.25. She spent $5,969.15 in the primary and entered April with $2,255.10 in cash on hand.
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Sewell on the other hand entered the campaign with $2,895,932.32. She raised another $2,031,082.68 through March 31. Rep. Sewell spent $1,281,941.99 in her primary race, leaving her with $3,645,072.76 in cash on hand to spend in the general election against Litaker.
Litaker acknowledged the campaign finance challenige.
“We are running a campaign that is grassroots and can use your help,” said Rep. Sewell. “We are not running a campaign with a lot of money. We need your help and your support. We have got to rally the troops.”
Democrats have won every Seventh Congressional District race since CD7 was redrawn as a majority minority district. Democratic Reps. Artur Davis and Earl Hilliard Senior both represented CD7 before Sewell’s election in 2010.
“We feel like conservative votes don’t count, but they do,” Litaker insisted. “This is my David and Goliath moment. Goliath laughed at David, the Philistines laughed at David; but what’s not discussed much is that his own people laughed at David, the king laughed at David, even his own brother laughed at David.” The Biblical story of David and Goliath can be found in the Old Testament book of First Samuel Chapter 17.
“This district can be flipped. We are going to flip it,” said Litaker. “You don’t have to worry about how I will vote on national issues.”
“When you call my office, someone will answer the phone,” said Litaker. “If you were lucky enough to get moved out of seven into four you are going to want come back by the time we get through.”
“My entire campaign is going to be run by volunteers,” said Litaker.
A Bamacarry members asked if the Second Amendment was going to be taken away. “They are not going to do anything to the Second Amendment, because I have you behind me,” said Litaker.
“We are going to get rid of the Department of Education,” said Litaker. “By the time it (money) gets back to the school district you are lucky to get fifteen cents back. And worse they want control of what you do with that.”
Litaker was a former teacher of the year. “Paul Hubbert (the late AEA executive director) hated me because I started an independent teacher’s group.”
Litaker said that redistricting has made CD7 more favorable for Republicans. Litaker is a former teacher and principal.
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