By SHERRY DIGMON
News Publisher
About 65 people attended the monthly GOP meeting in Atmore Monday night, August 15. The meeting was so well attended due to the speakers – U.S. Congressman Jerry Carl and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. The audience was a who’s who of Republican office-holders across the county.
Once County Chairman Jackie Gay dispensed with the business portion of the meeting, she introduced the speakers.
Jerry Carl had no opposition in the Republican primary and does not have a Democrat challenger in November. He said some people tell him he has a “free ride,” but he doesn’t see it that way.
“There are no free rides where I’m from,” he said. “I’m working for others.”
Carl and other Republicans are hoping to win 30 to 35 seats in the midterm election – including the district Joe Biden is from.
He encouraged everyone to get and vote in November.
“Vote!” he said. “We’ve got to make a loud racket … We’ve got to get folks out to vote.”
Carl talked about the “Commitment to America” House Republicans are putting together. The Commitment includes accountability, the economy, border security, the future of American freedoms, and more.
Carl said Democrats are chipping away at America’s freedoms.
“Democrats are good at eating one bite at a time,” he said. “We Republicans want to do everything all at one time.”
Carl recognized Escambia County School Superintendent Michele McClung, calling her the county’s “great new superintendent.”
“Y’all stole her from Mobile,” he said. “We’ll never forgive you for that.”
Steve Marshall reminded everyone that he is from Atmore and claims it as his hometown. Marshall faces a Democrat challenger in November.
Of course, the focus of his remarks was enforcing the law, from the bottom to the top.
“The attorney general has the ability to push back against what’s going on in Washington, D.C.,” Marshall said. “The AG serves as the voice for law enforcement.”
Both Carl and Marshall praised Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy, Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson, Alabama Representative Alan Baker (House District 66), and Alabama Senator Greg Albritton (Senate District 22) for their work.
“We need to be able to equip Heath and others to do their job,” Marshall said. “You don’t have to worry about Alan or Greg. [Speaking to them] Thank you for listening to law enforcement.”
Marshall mentioned several areas of the Democrats’ agenda for America and how he had anticipated them. But he didn’t see one of the areas coming.
“I never expected the radical gender ideology,” he said. “When a Supreme Court justice can’t tell you the definition of a woman, that’s a problem … Fortunately, our legislators are protecting our kids.”
Marshall was also critical of the phrase “climate change” – “It’s their euphemism for everything this administration wants to do,” he said. “ … We are the push back again this administration.”
The next GOP meeting is in Brewton with tentative speakers Commissioner of Agriculture & Industry Rick Pate and Republican nominee for House District 92 Matthew Hammett.