State Rep. Wes Allen, R-Troy, was in Pell City for a dinner meeting with the St. Clair County Young Republicans at the Market City Grill on Thursday. Allen is running for the Republican nomination for Alabama secretary of state is 2022.
“Wes Allen is one of the best,” said state Rep. Craig Lipscomb, R-Gadsden, “He is consistent and steadfast and he is going to be a great secretary of state.”
‘I appreciate your engagement at the local level,” Allen said. “We need to elect strong conservatives at every level of government and that starts at the local level.”
“It is important to identify those strong conservatives in your community,” Allen told the Republican activists. “Stay engaged and elect strong conservatives.”
“Public service is about helping people,” Allen said.
“I ran for auditor in 2006,” Allen said. “I won the primary, but was overtaken in the primary runoff.”
“In 2009, the probate judge decided to retire,’ Allen continued. “I sought that office and was appointed probate judge in Pike County by Governor Bob Riley.”
“In 2012 I ran unopposed,” Allen said. “There are two ways you can run: scared or unopposed. Unopposed is better.”
“In 2018 I decided to run for the state House,” Allen said. “My father is Sen. Gerald Allen. I have seen him in that legislative arena before so it was not foreign to me.”
Allen was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2014 and re-elected in 2018.
Allen emphasized protecting the integrity of the Alabama elections process.
“I was the chief election official for Pike County,” Allen said. “We were able to run those elections without any of the confusion like what happened in our neighbor to the east in Georgia.”
“I sponsored the bill to ban curbside voting,” Allen said. That bill passed the House.
“If that ballot walks out that door we no longer have a secret ballot,” Allen said. “We have got to protect that secret ballot and that chain of custody. That is why it was important to me to make sure that we passed that bill.”
Allen explained that a federal judge had tried to allow curbside voting in Alabama last year, but the state fought it.
“Thank goodness for the Supreme Court,” Allen said thankful that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state.
Allen said that the mass mailout of ballots in other states was a problem in the last election.
“The left wants ballot harvesting,” Allen said. “They want to get rid of voter photo ID.”
“My record is pretty clear: We are going to advocate for strong election laws,” Allen said. “Alabama has a good system in place.”
Allen cited his experience as a probate judge, supervising Pike County elections.
“I have been there, and I have done it,’ Allen said. “I won’t need any lessons on elections because I have done it before.”
Allen said that it is important that we “fight for the culture and the family.”
Allen said that “the left” knows that if we can destroy the family, it will aid them in their takeover of America. Allen said that during the last session he introduced a bill to ban puberty blockers, hormone treatments and surgeries to change a person’s gender.
“Right now it is going on in the state of Alabama,” Allen said.
“I believe in what Genesis said: ‘God made them male and female’ and God did not make a mistake,” Allen said.
“We came under some intensive criticism during that debate,” Allen said. “I was very proud to carry that bill and we are going to bring it back next year.”
Allen was also very complimentary of Lipscomb.
“Craig stands shoulder to shoulder with me as we fight for our conservative principles in the state house,” Allen said.
“I was born and raised in Tuscaloosa,” Allen said. “I went to the University of Alabama and was a walk on football player for (Coaches) Gene Stallings and Mike Dubose. I was a wide receiver. My position coach was Dabo Sweeney.”
Allen then addressed a number of questions from citizens in attendance.
Even though Troy is just 45 miles down the road from Montgomery. Allen explained that if he is elected that he has to live in Montgomery because it is in the 1901 Constitution that all constitutional officers live in the Montgomery city limits.
“Alabama is a beautiful state full of good people,” Allen said, explaining why he enjoys campaigning across the state.
“Looking forward, we are probably going to have a special session to redraw our district lines, congressional elections, and school board district lines,” Allen said.
Allen addressed concerns that the primary election would be postponed next year.
“I think we will have plenty of time,” to get redistricting finished in order to still have the major party primaries on May 24.
“I have heard the concern about the direction we are heading,” Allen said in response to a question about the direction of the nation. “Pray for our leaders and that includes Biden and the people we don’t normally agree with. Pray that we get over this COVID mess that has impacted so many families.”
Allen said that addressing Critical Race Theory will be a priority for the Legislature.
“There are two bills that are pre-filed and a third one that is coming,” Allen said. “Reps. Pringle, Oliver and Crawford all have bills.”
“Ed Oliver’s in my opinion is the most comprehensive,” Allen said. “It makes sure that the schools and also the state agencies are not teaching these things that divide us. It really goes against the 1964 Civil Rights Act.”
“That is definitely at the top of the list” of priorities for the state Legislature, Allen said.
Allen said that the legislature can address the CRT bill even if it is not in the governor’s call for the session.
“It can always be introduced,” Allen said. “There is a higher level of vote count if it is not in the governor’s call.”
“I think you will see the state school board address this in a resolution,’ Allen said. “That will send a strong message to the state legislative that this needs to be a priority.”
Allen praised Lipscomb.
“He is a conservative warrior,” Allen said of Lipscomb. “He is taking care of the people of his district.”
“We stand shoulder to shoulder fighting for the conservative interests and principles that we espouse,” Allen said.
Allen said that he does not yet have an announced opponent in the secretary of state’s race.
Incumbent Secretary of State John Merrill is term-limited from running again.
“I want to ask for your vote on May 24,” Allen said.
St. Clair County Young Republican Chair Logan Glass said that their next meeting will be Sept. 30. District Attorney Lyle Harmon and Sheriff Billy Murray will be the featured speakers and the group will have a meeting to honor law enforcement.
