By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Tuesday, Tom Vigneulle announced his candidacy for the United States Congress to a crowd of friends and supporters at the Aveda Institute, near the Galleria in Hoover. Vigneulla is running to represent Alabama’s Congressional District Six.
Vigneulle is a businessman and the President and owner of the Royal Bedding Manufacturing Company in Pelham. Vigneulle has studied at Liberty University and he and his wife have three children: Joy, Judy, and T.J.
Tom Vigneulle said that he believe that God is calling him to represent the Sixth District in Congress. Vigneulle said, “I am here to provide solutions to the problems that America faces here today.”
Vigneulle said that there are now 174,543 pages of federal regulations. “That doesn’t sound like freedom to me.”
Vigneulle said that he supports limited government, “The Government must stay out of our hopes, our dreams, and our desires.” Vigneulle warned “The biggest threat to our freedom is the progressives.” “They want control, they focus on the impossible. They choose to be alienated from America so they can be citizens of the world. They focus on the future because it is imaginary.” “You and I know that they are merchants of misery.”
Vigneulle said that he believes in four points: Respect for the Constitution, a respect for life, a belief in limited government and a belief in individual responsibility. He said that he chooses to affirm State’s rights and is pro-family.
The conservative businessman said, “We must not let our government load us with perpetual debt.” “We are not going to remain silent anymore about our economy. We need a balanced budget.” “We need term limits for elected officials and judicial officials.”
Vigneulle said that he believes in limiting business regulations. Vigneulle said that he is a Frederick Douglas Republican and supports the ideas of Douglas as written in the book by conservative activist, K Carl Smith, who introduced Vigneulle at the event. Tom Vigneulle said that Douglas would not support policies that create a welfare state but would support policies to create a wealthfare state.
Vigneulle said that he supports Reagan’s policy of maintaining “peace through strength” and that that requires a full commitment to U.S. armed forces.
Vigneulle said that he opposes government run healthcare and will protect the physician patient relationship. Vigneulle said that Dr. Ben Carson spoke to the Alabama Policy Institute recently and presented a healthcare plan in 45 seconds that made more sense than Obamacare. Vigneulle said that the Heritage Foundation also has a good plan.
Vigneulle said that he supports abolishing the U.S. Department of Education and sending those tax dollars back to follow the child in a voucher system so the poor have the same choices that the progressives have when they send their children to private schools.
Vigneulle said that even in the Republican Party it is time to make a change. Vigneulle described himself as a Christian small businessman running to represent you with the boldness to speak on what is consistent with our Judeo/Christian values. Vigneulle said that the nation needs to turn back to God. “I am a traditional Republican that wants to run and serve on the traditional Republican Party Platform.”
The Conservative Republican candidates said that his website will be launched tomorrow:
www.Tomsiforyou.com
Vigneulle is running in a crowded Republican field that includes: the co-founder and longtime CEO of the Birmingham based Alabama Policy Institute (API), Gary Palmer; longtime Harbert executive, Will Brooke; Indian Springs orthopedist Chad Mathis (R); and state Representative Paul Demarco from Homewood. It is likely that other candidates will declare for the rare open Congressional seat in one of the most conservative districts in the entire country.
At this point, the Alabama Political Reporter is not aware of a Democrat or an independent or third party candidate who has announced that they are running for the heavily Republican leaning district. If there is no third party or Democratic challenger then the winner of the Republican Primary will win the seat in Congress.
The Sixth District Congressional District seat is currently held by Rep. Spencer Bachus (R) from Vestavia. After serving in the seat for 21 years, Rep. Bachus announced that he would not seek re-election when his current term expires.
The Republican Primary will be on June 3, 2014.
