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Rep. Jeremy Gray, D-Opelika, announced Thursday that he is launching his campaign to become the U.S congressman for Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District.
“Now more than ever, we need champions who will fight for all of us, so that we have opportunities not just to get by, but to thrive,” Gray said in a campaign launch video. “That’s why I am running for Congress.”
Gray’s announcement makes him the third Democratic lawmaker from the state Legislature to run for the seat, following Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, and Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Prichard. Gray is the Alabama House Minority Whip and has represented District 83 for 5 years.
Gray touts his record of passing several bipartisan bills since he joined the Alabama House of Representatives in 2018. Examples include his legislative record of helping lift the 28-year ban on yoga in Alabama and passing a bill this previous legislative session to help coaches and parents have the resources to recognize and respond to the signs of a cardiac arrest in student-athletes.
Gray says he has been guided by a “profound sense of duty” to his community.
“My journey from the football field to a small business owner and now in the State House has been guided by a profound sense of duty to my community,” Gray said. “I am running for Congress to ensure that every voice in our district is heard, to champion policies that uplift our families, and to continue the legacy of service that has defined my life. I have a proven record of working with both Democrats and Republicans to do what is right for our communities and that is the fight I’ll take with me to Washington to improve the lives of Alabamians.”
The 2nd Congressional District is having all of this competition from Democratic lawmakers due to the recent congressional map changes. In October, after two years of litigation by Black voters, a special master redrew Alabama’s congressional map to give Black voters a second district where they had a better chance to elect a candidate of their choice. District 2 was redrawn to include a portion of the Black Belt, Mobile and Montgomery.
Other Democratic legislators including House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, and Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Montgomery, are still potential candidates to join the race.
“If elected,” Gray said, “our community will have a Member who truly represents us and will fight for issues such as reproductive freedom, voting rights, affordable housing and childcare, quality healthcare and addressing the climate crisis that disproportionately hurts low-income and communities of color. I’m stepping into this race as a part of the new generation of leaders who are committed to bending the arc of justice, reshaping the future, and ensuring that the American Dream is attainable for all.”
