7. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) and congressional candidate Shomari Figures have received an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund for opposing gun owners’ rights. In contrast, Alabama’s conservative lawmakers, U.S. Reps. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), Dale Strong (R-Monrovia), and Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) were all awarded “A” ratings, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Saks) received an “A+”, and Figures’ opponent, Caroleene Dobson, were awarded high marks for their support of Second Amendment protections.
6. Congressional candidates in the newly redrawn gerrymandered Second Congressional District discussed Tuesday’s presidential debate, with Republican Caroleene Dobson and Democrat Shomari Figures offering starkly different views on the debate, each backing their party’s nominee. Dobson criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for downplaying issues like inflation and immigration, while Figures praised Harris for presenting a strong, hopeful vision and argued that Trump’s debate performance was incoherent and disconnected, which shows the state of this race is style vs. substance.
5. For the second time in two weeks, a teacher was removed for being intoxicated at school and charged with a crime. Brandi Michelle Bomar, a substitute teacher, was removed from Priceville High School on Wednesday for intoxication and later charged with public intoxication and illegal possession of prohibited liquor, with bond set at $1,000. Last week, Coach James Steven Cox was arrested at the Lloyd Wood Education Center in Northport after an altercation with a student, where police later found open and empty cans of alcohol in his desk, leading to his charge of public intoxication
4. Alabama schools have faced a surge in threats around the state, with multiple teens charged statewide in the past week following a high-profile school shooting in Georgia that killed 4 and injured 9. Law enforcement is taking all the threats seriously, with at least 7 teens arrested in Birmingham, Dothan, Eufaula, and Montgomery as part of a broader effort to ensure school safety as the threats come in and at least one is facing charges of making a terrorist threat in the first degree.
3. While Haitians “eating pets” is trending on the Internet, even after the media demands you stop caring, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is sending law enforcement and $2.5 million in healthcare resources to Springfield, Ohio, which has seen an influx of Haitian migrants. While DeWine supports the Temporary Protected Status program, he emphasized that the federal government must do more to assist impacted communities, as the city has faced significant challenges from the arrival of around 15,000 Haitians since 2020.
2. During Tuesday’s presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris falsely accused former President Donald Trump of denying families access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and specifically claimed states like Alabama were interested in banning the process outright. It was part of her broader attempts to make the Democrats’ abortion obsession more palatable by pretending IVF is something they care about. Trump defended his record, citing the swift legislative action taken by Alabama leaders, including Gov. Kay Ivey, in response to a state Supreme Court ruling, ensuring continued access to IVF treatments which starkly contrasts the the media and their Democrats’ narrative that Republicans oppose IVF.
1. More information, polling, and focus groups are coming in and the results seem to be showing a bit of a gulf between pundits and the undecided voters they want to persuade. Voters were hoping for more substance from the debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump but were left disappointed. A New York Times headline laid bare the problem stating, “Pundits Said Harris Won the Debate. Undecided Voters Weren’t So Sure,” noting Harris appeared more presidential to to talking heads. Voters still felt she didn’t provide enough detailed policy answers, especially on how she would get her proposals through a polarized Congress.
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Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.
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