THE WEEK AHEAD

THE WEEK BEHIND

Almost as often as we get asked why we picked orange and blue as the campaign colors, we get asked, "When are you going to have yard signs?" The answer is...NOW! We also have a fresh supply of t-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons, and koozies for everyone.

Last week, we sent merch to Calhoun, Randolph, Talladega, Cleburne, St. Claire, Lee, and Tallapoosa counties.

We are asking for donations to cover production costs, and you can do that through ActBlue. 

BLOG POSTS

Hey Tripp, Let Me Tell You About 1986

AL.com published an editorial by Tripp Skipper, a former staffer for public officials including Jeff Sessions, Robert Aderholt, and Mike Rogers, basically said the election was already over, and there was no point in the Democrats even bothering. I sent Tripp a history lesson, and I thought you might like to see it:

Hi Tripp,

Over the last 18 months, Democrats have been overperforming across the country. We’ve flipped seats in New Hampshire, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Virginia, and New Jersey. You probably noticed that several of those seats are in deep red states. Why do you think that is? Let's go back to 1986 when Alabama had been run by the Democratic Party for over a century...

ALABAMA IN THE NEWS

📰 $10 Million Gift to UAB Aims to Improve Rural Health Care Across Alabama

Mike and Gillian Goodrich's multi-million dollar donation will create the Goodrich Rural Innovation in Training for Alabama (GRIT) program, aimed at expanding access to health care in underserved rural communities. The initiative will provide scholarships, support rural residency programs, invest in rural clinics, and establish a new endowed chair in rural health to help address Alabama's growing shortage of primary care physicians. The investment is a boon to Alabama's medical infrastructure but also underscores the need for sustained public policies and government action to strengthen rural health care and ensure that all Alabamians have access to quality medical care regardless of where they live.

📰 Alabama unemployment edges up to 3.0% as jobs and wages reach record levels

Alabama's unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.0% in May, even as the state reached record highs in both overall employment and total jobs. While average wages increased statewide, the strongest wage growth was concentrated in specific sectors such as construction, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality, rather than being broadly shared across the entire economy. Significant disparities also remain across the state, with some counties and cities continuing to experience substantially higher unemployment rates than others.

📰 Republican ballot numbers drop, Democratic ballot numbers increase as voter turnout declines

Voter turnout in Alabama's June 2026 primary runoff fell to just 10.7%, continuing a long-term decline in participation in runoff elections. While Republicans still cast the majority of ballots, the total number of Republican votes dropped significantly compared to 2022, while Democratic ballot numbers increased, driven in part by competitive races and local organizing efforts in some areas. Political leaders from both parties noted that local contests and candidate familiarity played a major role in determining turnout levels across the state.

A CALL TO ACTION

Volunteer: We’re building a strong volunteer team to power the campaign through the general election, and we need your help. Sign up below to help move this campaign forward.

Follow Us: We need you to like, comment on, and share our social media posts. We also need you to talk to your friends about the campaign. We need you to come to any events we have in your area so your friends can see they’re not alone. 

Donate: Your contribution helps us keep our campaign moving by funding outreach, events, and voter engagement efforts across the district.

I know we’re all keyed up to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It marked a significant shift in the course of human history and set a standard that we are still striving to achieve: that all are created equal.

I have had a lot of people tell me they weren’t going to celebrate this year because things are too dark and our democracy is at too great a risk. To me, that’s the very reason to celebrate, to exercise our freedoms, and to reclaim the history of this nation.

To me, the greatest way to celebrate the birth of this nation is exactly what you’re doing, participating in the democratic process. Our forebears fought for this democracy, and it is now our turn to carry that struggle forward. Every time you put up a yard sign for your candidate, wear a statement T-shirt, or remind someone to register to vote, you are defending our democracy. 

So this July 4th, embrace your democratic heritage. Celebrate Independence Day by exercising your right to free expression. Honor those who fought to build this republic by committing to vote whenever you get the chance.

Be Safe. Happy 4th of July.

We’re 140 days from the general election.

We'll talk soon,

Lee