By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Former Montgomery Probate Judge Reese McKinney is running in the June 2013 Republican Primary for Alabama Secretary of State. McKinney promised in a statement on Monday June 28 that if elected he will be a champion for business. Judge McKinney also announced last week that he had received the endorsement of the Tea Party Patriots.
Judge McKinney wrote, “Jobs matter. Leadership matters. And policies that grow jobs for Alabamians must be a top priority of our elected officials. When Republicans took control of state government in 2010, unemployment in Alabama stood at 8.9%. Today, our unemployment rate is 6.7% and while this is an improvement deserving of praise, we still have ground to gain before Alabama returns to full employment.”
Judge McKinney continued, In Alabama, small businesses represent 96.9% of all employers and generate 49% of all private sector jobs. As Secretary of State, I will be a champion for small business and I will work each day to push smart job growth policies. Because the Secretary of State’s office is the first point of contact for new businesses, it is uniquely positioned to engage and encourage small businesses in Alabama.”
Judge McKinney promised that if elected, “I will make sure that the office does not create delays or hardships for business startups and I will take whatever measures are required to ensure this happens. Once elected, I will immediately review the entire business registration process to identify problems and delays, and I will aggressively pursue improvements that demonstrate my commitment to encouraging new businesses.”
Judge McKinney said, “My first act as Secretary of State will be to convene a Small Business Summit in Montgomery for the purpose of identifying and pursuing pro-small business initiatives that will create jobs in Alabama…I will also work to establish lines of communication with government officials at the State and local level to drive job growth policies across the state. Effective communication with other officials and small business owners will encourage job growth across the State, but make no mistake, what will count most is the actions and policies that result from this communication.”
Judge McKinney said in a recent St. Clair County event, “I am the only lifelong Republican, lifelong conservative in this race.” McKinney asked those present to compare the candidates. “I look forward to standing with you in the Secretary of State’s office.”
Judge McKinney is campaigning on his conservative credentials, slashing bureaucratic red tape and transforming the Secretary of State’s office into a pro-business, pro-job growth entity. The campaign statement says that McKinney’s experience in elections, adoptions, and administrative services will allow him to build upon this experience on his first day in office without subjecting the public to a learning curve.
Judge McKinney is a staunch proponent of photo ID for voters and reports having witnessed first-hand the vulnerabilities with current identification methods for voters. As Secretary of State, Judge McKinney is promising that he will ensure that Alabama leads the nation in voter integrity initiatives.
The Republican primary election will be held statewide on Tuesday, June 3, 2014.
Judge McKinney is running against state Representative John Merrill (R) from Tuscaloosa and Crenshaw County Probate Judge Jim Perdue.
