Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl believes that the newly redrawn Second Congressional District should be represented by a minority candidate, but stipulated it should be a Republican minority.
After a three-judge panel had a special master redraw the district, many expect the Democratic Party to pick up another seat in the Yellowhammer State.
Wahl discussed the issue during a recent appearance on “URBANHAM News.”
“My hope and my dream is that this district is represented by a minority congressman, but I want it to be a Republican I believe,” Wahl said. “And that may not be this cycle. That may be in the future, but I think if we see the trend continue where more and more African American voters are voting Republican, it will be. It’s just a matter of time.”
The ALGOP chair said the current Republican Party should appeal more to minority voters.
“If you think about those platform issues, right? Like limited federal government that doesn’t try to control your life. That’s good for everyone. That’s good for minorities,” he said. “When you think about individual liberty and the fact that you have equal rights with every other person, individuals. Don’t put people into groups. Don’t say this group has more rights than that group. No.
“We want to look at people as individuals and fight for every individual to have equal rights and equal opportunity.”
Wahl said the GOP needs to return to a message that focuses on individual liberty and focus on spreading that message to all voters, including minorities.
“That’s why fighting for individual liberty fits so well with the idea of the Civil Rights movement,” he said. “Because it’s really the same fight. Return dignity and rights to the individual. So I think that’s the important thing for the Republican Party to remember. We’ve got to get back to that root message because that root message is the message of America, and it is the message of hope and opportunity and the American dream.”
Wahl said Republicans need to emphasize they understand the issues that he believes are a concern of all Americans.
“If I could communicate one thing to the people of this state and the people of America, from the Republican Party, it’s that I genuinely believe … that the values of the Republican Party, the best represent your chance to have opportunity in this country,” he said. “Because we are all looking for the same thing. We all want to be safe, we all want to be successful, and we all want a bright future for our children. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Republican, whether you’re Democrat, whoever you are, those are what we hope to accomplish.
“And I think it’s Republican values that best help us get there.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
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