By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Nine Republicans have officially qualified with the Alabama Republican Party (ALGOP) to run as Republicans in a bid to replace the recently retired Congressman Jo Bonner (R) from Mobile.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead announced, “We have an extraordinarily qualified field of Republican candidates vying to fill the remainder of Congressman Bonner’s term. We have a great mix of well-known candidates as well as some political newcomers. One thing is certain, citizens in the First Congressional District will have a conservative Republican representing them as they have had for almost 50 years.”
The list of qualified candidates for Congressional District One includes:
Bradley Byrne is a former Chancellor of the Alabama Department of Post secondary Education and is a former Alabama State Senator, former member of the state school board, and former candidate for Governor.
Daniel Dyas is a general contractor and a small business owner.
Chad Fincher is an Alabama State Representative and the sponsor of the Alabama Accountability Act.
Wells Griffith is an attorney and the Deputy Chief-of-Staff of the Republican National Committee.
Quin Hillyer is a conservative columnist and a former top Congressional staffer.
Jessica James is a realtor and a grant writer for Bishop State Community College. James is also a former candidate for the Alabama State Board of Education.
Sharon Powe is an entrepreneur and is a legal assistant for the US Small Business Administration and government affairs for the Mobile (Pritchard municipality).
David “Thunder” Thornton is a retired Shell Production Specialist and a retail employee.
Dean Young is a realtor, the owner of four small businesses, and is a longtime Roy Moore aide. Young unsuccessfully challenged former Congressman Bonner in the 2012 Republican primary.
Chairman Armistead said, “More than ever, Alabama needs to elect a Representative that will go to Washington and fight the over reaching federal government led by Barack Obama. Top on the agenda should be reducing the size of government and the repeal of Obamacare. We simply have to get this country back to work.”
Congressman Bonner resigned on August 2nd, after serving more than ten years in Congress. Chairman Armistead said, “Former U.S. Rep. Jack Edwards was the first Republican to represent the First Congressional District when he was elected in 1964. Representative Edwards was followed by former U.S. Rep. Sonny Callahan who was succeeded by former U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner.
The people of the First District have elected three outstanding Republican Congressmen to represent them in the last 50 years and I have no doubt that the winner of the special election primary will carry on the outstanding tradition begun by Jack Edwards.”
