In 2010, the people of Alabama elected John McMillan to be the Commissioner for the State Department of Agriculture & Industries. He is running for re-election this year against Democrat Doug “New Blue” Smith. McMillan’s life-long experience in the agricultural industry of Alabama and his exemplary performance during his first term as commissioner all but guarantee a successful re-election in November.
Following budget cuts to his department in 2011, McMillan worked to make his office work more efficiently and frugally. His efforts have resulted in the accumulation of funds to upgrade old equipment, to make work more productive, and increased responsiveness to the people of Alabama.
When killer tornadoes struck North Alabama in 2011, the Department of Agriculture & Industries’ streamlining paid off as inspectors immediately responded, arriving on the scene of scores of damaged poultry houses, feed mills, storage facilities and grocery stores. They quickly achieved their objective to help farmers, agribusinesses and grocers to get the damage cleared out so they could resume operations.
John McMillan grew up in Baldwin County. His interest in agriculture began at a young age while working on his uncle’s farm and in his father’s sawmill in Stockton. After graduating in economics from Rhodes College, he continued to work at the family sawmill for nearly 20 years.
His first venture into public service was in 1969 on the Baldwin County Commission. He soon gained an appreciation for public service and served as a State Representative. He is dedicated to the people of Alabama and, as evidenced by his active website and social media accounts, strives to provide them with up-to-date information on the progress of the Department of Agriculture & Industries. We look forward to another four years with Commissioner McMillan.
James T. (Tommy) Hanes, Jr. is running to replace Democrat John Robinson as the representative for Alabama House District 23 (Jackson County). Robinson has held the seat since 1994 and is primarily backed by the liberal Alabama Education Association.
Tommy hopes to oust this AEA crony in hopes of creating “A Better Alabama”. His campaign slogan and life motto, Tommy is pro-life, pro-family and a strong believer that all children should have access to a good education.
A staunch constitutionalist, Tommy believes that without the Second Amendment, there would be no constitution.
The election of Tommy to House District 23 would be a true victory for the Republican Party. John Robinson’s career as a representative has been lack-luster and financed by the most liberal organization in the state. The people of District 23 deserve a representative who has their future in the forefront of their minds. Tommy Hanes will be that representative.
Senator Bryan Taylor decided not to seek re-election, opening the door for four Republican candidates to run in the primary for a chance to be the Alabama Senator for District 30 (Autauga, Elmore, Chilton, Coosa and Tallapoosa Counties). The race narrowly entered the runoff as Clyde Chambliss received 49.9% of the vote. Chambliss was successful in the primary run-off and is prepared to take on Independent Bryan Morgan in November. There is no Democrat challenger for the seat.
Chambliss is a civil engineer and served three terms on the Autauga County Commission. He has been endorsed by the Alabama Association of Realtors, the Home Builders Association of Alabama, and the Alabama Council of Engineering Companies.
During his tenure on the Commission, Clyde negotiated agreements for ambulance service, the metro jail and the local humane shelter. In 1997, Chambliss took charge in Autauga County’s participation in the financial commitment for construction of the Capitol Hill Robert Trent Jones golf course in Elmore County. The course has been a tremendous catalyst for growth in the region.
In 2002, Clyde was recognized as one of the “Leading 40 under 40” by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce and the Montgomery Advertiser. Clyde was also selected as the Business Leader of the Year in 2009 by the Chamber of Commerce Farm-City Committee.
Chambliss’s experience as an engineer and his pro-business mindset will greatly benefit the people of District 30. We look forward to his victory in November and to watching his ideas turn to action in Montgomery.
Rex Leath is the Assistant Chief of the Collinsville Police Department and the Republican nominee for DeKalb County Sheriff.
Leath resides in Collinsville and is a member of the Collinsville First Baptist Church, the Van Buren Masonic Lodge #355, the DeKalb County Fraternal Order of Police, Alabama Police Benevolent Association and the National Rifle Association.
On running for office, Leath has stated, “The sky is the limit when it comes to what a sheriff can do to protect the citizens of DeKalb County. In addition, it must start with a proactive group of law enforcement officers that enforce the laws aggressively while treating people with respect and dignity.”
Leath is a strong believer in the protection of women and children. He would like to see a greater emphasis placed on domestic violence, gun safety, school bullying, Internet crime and identity theft. He plans to do this by implementing programs for schools and the public that will educate the community about programs and services available to them for help with any of these situations. He feels that the illegal drug epidemic in DeKalb County is directly linked to these problems, and plans to aggressively address the issue head-on.
Leath will face Democrat Jimmy Harris in the November General Election. The Alabama Republican Party is proud to have Leath, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, as our nominee and stands behind his pro-active plans for DeKalb County.