Elections 2022: Here’s a look at contested congressional and legislative races in Jefferson & Shelby County
Here’s who’s competing for your vote on Nov. 8 in various races.
United States Representative, 6th Congressional District
Republican: Gary Palmer, of Hackleburg, has represented the district since 2015 and prior to that served as president of the conservative think tank Alabama Policy Institute (API) for 24 years.
According to their mission statement, API’s focus is on limited government, strong families, and preservation of the free market.
According to his campaign site Palmer’s main focuses are economic growth, affordable health care, and “protecting life in all its forms.”
Libertarian: Andria Chieffo, of Graysville, currently works as an Amazon Floor Monitor. Chieffo does not have a campaign site and does not have any of her policies listed online.
United States Representative, 7th Congressional District
Democrat: Terri Sewell, of Huntsville, has represented the district since 2011 and prior to that practiced public finance law at Birmingham’s Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.
Some issues highlighted on Sewell’s campaign site include job creation and workforce development, voting rights, and education reform.
Republican: Beatrice Nichols was born in Knoxville, TN and is entering the race with a background in education.
Nichols is currently pursuing a doctorate in special education at the University of Alabama. According to her campaign site some of her main issues are immigration control, voting rights, and “protection of the unborn.”
Libertarian: Gavin Goodman of Albany, New York currently works in marketing for Huntsville’s Momentum Holdings according to his LinkedIn.
Goodman’s LinkedIn also lists him as a former director of development for nonprofit Strength Through Education which provides educational resources to active-duty service members, according to their website.
State Senate, District 15
Republican: Dan Roberts, of Birmingham, has represented the district since 2018 and prior to that worked as a realtor.
Roberts’ campaign website touts that he is consistently ranked “among the most conservative in the State Senate” and includes economic development, government spending cuts, and second amendment rights as important issues.
Libertarian: Michael Crump of Birmingham.
Although Crump does not have a campaign website, Brandon Moseley with Alabama Today previously reported that he currently serves as treasurer for the Greater Birmingham Libertarians and describes himself as an “anarchist.”
State Senate, District 17
Republican: Shay Shelnutt of Pinson has represented the district since 2014 and prior to that worked in education, real estate and business development.
Shelnutt also describes himself as one of the most conservative members of Alabama’s legislature and in the most recent legislative session sponsored the bill that now prohibits “medical procedures on minor children intended to alter appearance of gender” according to the state legislature website.
Shelnutt has also referenced job creation and second amendment rights as important issues in past campaigns.
Libertarian: John Fortenberry. Fortenberry does not have a campaign site or any other public information listed online.
State Senate, District 19
Democrat: Merika Coleman, of Birmingham, has been the district’s House representative since 2002 and prior to that worked in economic and community development for the city of Bessemer.
According to her campaign site, Coleman lists safer communities, economic development, equitable education, and stronger social justice as her top four priorities.
Libertarian: Danny Wilson, of Birmingham, currently works as an automotive technician and lists gun rights, elimination of the grocery tax, and elimination of qualified immunity as some of his top focus areas on his campaign site.
State Representatives District 15
Democrat: Richard Rouco, of Birmingham, has worked as an Alabama lawyer for nearly 30 years and lists development of the Riverchase Galleria, criminal justice reform, and the grocery tax as some of his main focuses on his campaign site.
Republican: Leigh Hulsey, of Helena, currently owns CrossFit Alabaster and serves as president of the Alabaster Business Alliance, according to her campaign site.
The site lists some of Hulsey’s main areas of focus including second amendment rights, “safeguarding the sanctity of life,” and agriculture support.
State Representatives District 43
Democrat: Prince Cleveland, of Birmingham, currently works as a content usage specialist for EBSCO Information Systems, according to Ballotpedia.
Cleveland’s campaign site includes Medicaid expansion, the elimination of the grocery tax, and education support as some of his main missions.
Republican: Arnold Mooney, of Montgomery, has represented the district since 2014 and prior to that was an assistant broker at Southeast Commercial Partners LLC.
Some of the issues listed on Mooney’s campaign site include religious freedom, border security, and free market healthcare.
Libertarian: Jason Burr, of Birmingham, does not have any previous employment history publicly listed.
On Ballotpedia’s candidate connection survey Burr said the three key messages of his campaign were:
· A fiscal conservative
· Against new taxes
· Liberty for ALL
State Representatives District 44
Republican: Danny Garrett, of Center Point, has represented the district since 2014 and prior to that worked in steel, rail, and bus manufacturing.
Garrett’s campaign site lists Common Core curriculum, tax cuts, and second amendment rights as some of his focus areas.
Libertarian: John Boone. Boone does not have any campaign or previous employment information listed online.
State Representatives District 45
Republican: Susan DuBose, of Biloxi, Mississippi, recently retired from Compass Bank and lists legislative term limits, election integrity, and conservative values as areas of focus on her campaign site.
Libertarian: Kari Whitaker, of Birmingham, currently works as a graphic designer and lists the three key messages of her campaign on Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey as:
· Limited Government
· Personal Freedom and Privacy
· Individual Responsibility
State Representatives District 47
Democrat: Christian Coleman, of Vestavia Hills, currently works as a freelance writer while serving in the United States Air Force Reserves.
Coleman’s key issues are not listed online.
Republican: Mike Shaw, of Hoover, has worked in IT for the last 27 years and currently serves on Hoover’s City Council in multiple roles.
Shaw lists the following focus areas on his campaign site:
· Supporting District 47 families
· Fighting for District 47′s fair share
· Cutting back on wasted spending
State Representatives District 48
Republican: Jim Carns, of Vestavia Hills, has represented the district since 2011 and prior to that served as House District 48 representative from 1990 to 2006 and most recently served on the Jefferson County Commission. In an interview with Alabama Political Reporter’s Brandon Moseley, Carns referenced election law protection and raising education budgets as areas of previous focus for him.
Libertarian: Bruce Stutts, of Birmingham, worked most recently in risk management for PNC bank before staff cuts in June of last year according to his bio on the Libertarian Party of Alabama Website.
Stutts describes himself as a free-market capitalist and said in the bio his campaign is based around Alabama voters gaining more individual choice.
State Representatives District 56
Democrat: Ontario Tillman, of Bessemer, currently practices criminal defense law at his own office.
Tillman’s campaign website is expired and his areas of focus are not listed elsewhere online.
Libertarian: Carson Lester, of Birmingham, does not have a campaign site or any previous employment information listed publicly online.
Lester’s campaign Facebook page features a press release from the Alabama Cannabis Coalition backing the candidate due to what they say is his support of the decriminalization of marijuana in Alabama.
State Representatives District 57
Democrat: Patrick Sellers, of Pleasant Grove, has served as a pastor for the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Riley since 2008 and served as Chairman of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority from 2006-2018.
According to his campaign site, Sellers’ platform is built on community safety, job expansion, elderly care and transportation, and championing “proper education.”
Republican: Delor Baumann, of Birmingham, currently serves as assistant tax collector for the Bessemer Division of Jefferson County and was previously the mayor of Hueytown from 2004-2016.
Baumann’s campaign Facebook page lists broadband expansion, job creation, and government spending cuts as some of his focus areas.
Libertarian: Manijeh Jones, of Mulga, previously worked in computer programming and now spends her days homeschooling her children full time.
Jones lists religious liberty, freedom of speech, and medical freedom as her areas of focus on her Libertarian Party of Alabama bio.
State Representatives District 60
Democrat: Juandalynn Givan, of Birmingham, has represented the district since 2010 and prior to that worked in Capital Projects and Development for the city of Birmingham.
On her campaign Facebook page Givan lists criminal justice reform, infrastructure repair, and education funding as some of her focus areas.
Libertarian: J.P. French, of Fultondale, does not have any previous employment or education records listed online.
In the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey French listed the three key messages of his campaign as follows.
· Human rights over government
· Taxation is a form of theft
· A vote for J.P. French is a vote for YOUR rights
Jefferson County Sheriff
Democrat: Mark Pettway, of Birmingham, has served as sheriff since 2019 and prior to that had a two-decade career in Jefferson County law enforcement.
On his campaign site Pettway says his platform is built on criminal justice reform, law enforcement training, school children’s protection and community relations.
Republican: Jared Hudson, of Fultondale, currently serves as owner and CEO of The Shooting Institute, a firearm tactical training course for civilians and law enforcement.
On his campaign site Hudson lists impartial policing, community partnership, and constitutional freedom as some of his priorities.