By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Businessman Steve Livingston has qualified as a Republican candidate for the Alabama Senate in District 8.
Livingston said in a prepared statement, ìI am excited to be an official candidate. I am not a career politician. I am a first time candidate and I have been a successful small businessman for over 30 years. I will bring small business values to the legislature. Government should live within its means and I will fight any new taxes on our hard working families.”
Steve Livingston is the owner and manager of Dicus Oil Company and has been a business man for over 30 years. He graduated from Scottsboro High School where he was active in the Boy Scouts attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Livingston is the past president of the Jackson-Scottsboro Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Scottsboro Rotary and is a founding member of Leadership Jackson County.
Livingston said, ìThe main things I will strive to bring to District 8 include creating a business friendly environment to encourage new industry to relocate to Northeast Alabama, protect us from government infringement on private property rights, and give our schools the tools they need to succeed. Government that governs best governs least.î
Livingston was joined at qualifying with members of his family including his father, Jack Livingston, his sister and retired educator, Susan Livingston, his wife Sandra Steele Livingston, his daughter and elementary educator, Laura Ann Mims, his granddaughter, Parker Elizabeth Mims, and his son-in-law and Hoover police officer, Drew Mims,
District 8 includes Jackson County and portions of Madison and Dekalb Counties.
Steve Livingston faces State Representative Todd Greeson in the Republican Primary for the seat currently held by Senator Shadrack McGill (R). Senator McGill has announced that he is not running for re-election.
The winner of the Republican Party Primary will face a Democratic opponent in November. Randy Bruce Money and Horace Clemmons are running in the Democratic Primary for the District 8 Senate seat.
The District 8 seat had been held for a long time by powerful Democratic incumbent Lowell Barron (D) from Fyffe. Barron was considered to be the most powerful man in the then Democratic controlled Alabama Senate. Barron however was upset in the Republican landslide election of 2010 by Shadrack McGill. Barron had planned to run again for his seat but he was seriously injured in a tractor accident and then was indicted for allegedly misusing campaign finance dollars during the 2010 election.
