U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) gave his farewell speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, during which he displayed a continued exuberance for the American project in the face of the bitter divides currently afflicting the nation.
The speech caps Byrne’s seven years representing Alabama’s First Congressional District in the nation’s lower chamber. He won a special election in 2013 to represent the district following the departure of Rep. Jo Bonner.
Byrne chose to mount a campaign for the U.S. Senate instead of running for reelection in the House, ultimately losing out on the Republican nomination to now Senator-elect Tommy Tuberville.
Replacing Byrne as southwest Alabama’s representative in the House will be U.S. Rep.-elect Jerry Carl (R-Mobile), a former county commissioner who will take office in January.
“Rep. Byrne has served Alabama’s first congressional district with a tenacity that is matched by few. I know that I have big shoes to fill, and I look forward to continuing his legacy of fighting for the people of south Alabama,” wrote Carl in a Facebook post.
Byrne’s endorsement of Carl late in the heated AL-01 primary was viewed as crucial to the Carl campaign’s ultimate victory.
“I think if the people of America knew their history better, they would be more hopeful, they would be more optimistic,” Byrne said Wednesday, citing the multitudinous nature of America’s accomplishments and progress towards its ideals in its ultimately brief time as a nation.
“Division in our country is the greatest internal threat we’ve got, and I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, it’s the greatest threat of all, because there is nothing that this great nation can’t accomplish when we are united, when we are e pluribus unum, one out of many,” he continued.
“That is who America is, that’s who the American people want us to be, and that’s the great challenge before this House,” Byrne stated.
Near the end of his remarks, Byrne thanked his wife, Rebecca, for being by his side over their last 40 years of marriage, especially the last seven particularly demanding years in national politics.
“In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, may God bless the United States of America,” Byrne finished.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
