Carl ad hits Hightower for past work in China

Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl on Tuesday released a new video ad in his Republican bid to represent Alabama’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The ad takes aim at former State Sen. Bill Hightower (R-Mobile), Carl’s opponent in the GOP primary runoff.

Lasting 30 seconds, the ad hits Hightower over past business dealings in China.

The video begins by reminding viewers that Hightower recently released an ad in which he pledged to help President Donald Trump “hold China accountable for their deadly pandemic.”

A narrator then contrasts that with two past references regarding Hightower and China.

The first stems from an August 2014 newsletter from the Tillman Corner Area Chamber of Commerce. Hightower was set to be the organization’s keynote speaker for an upcoming meeting, and the biography for the then-state senator outlined that Hightower previously lived and worked across Europe and Asia before returning to Mobile in 2002.

“[Hightower] works with clients in the U.S., Europe, and China in defining their growth strategy and implementing it through acquisitions and alliances,” the biography stated.

The second reference later points to Hightower himself saying that he has worked in China; this came from Hightower’s response to the Alabama Policy Institute candidate questionnaire when he ran for governor in 2018.

“My experience in business reinforced my conservative views as I worked in China, where private property rights are not highly valued, and Europe, where regulation and government intrusion is so massive as to be oppressive and unpredictable. Their economies somehow survive, but at times I think it miraculous they do,” Hightower wrote in that questionnaire.

The narrator in Carl’s ad says, “Thanks to Hightower, China has cost us millions of jobs and put America at risk.”

“We need a congressman who will stand with Trump, not China,” he adds.

The ad then transitions to Carl speaking directly to the audience, pledging to “get tough on China” and support Trump.

“I’ve created American jobs, and like President Trump, I’ve got a backbone,” Carl remarks.

Watch:

According to the campaign, Carl’s new ad is backed by a six-figure buy across broadcast, cable and digital platforms throughout the district.

In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Carl campaign manager Zach Weidlich said, “Bill Hightower bragged on his own website about how he helped Chinese companies grow and create jobs. Sad! Now, millions of Americans are without a job because folks like Bill Hightower put China first. South Alabama needs a Congressman who will stand with President Trump to hold China accountable and fight for American jobs, just like Jerry Carl has done his entire life.”

The launch of Carl’s latest ad came a day after Hightower rolled out an ad featuring the support of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

The runoff will be held July 14.

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn