Faith, family and the fight for Alabama's 1st District: Barry Moore looks forward after political survival in 2024

On Thursday, October 5, 2023, Congressman Barry Moore and his wife of 32 years, Heather, realized they had a big decision to make.

That morning, a federal court made a long-awaited decision on the future of Alabama’s congressional districts, choosing a new map designed by a special master to give minority voters in the Black Belt better electoral representation.

The new map increased the black voting-age population of the 2nd Congressional District to 48.7%, up from a total black population of just over 30% in the existing district.

In addition to balancing out the district’s racial makeup, the map also drew the Moores’ home in Enterprise into the new 1st Congressional District, then held by Moore’s fellow House Republican, Congressman Jerry Carl of Mobile.

As snow blanketed the nation’s capital last week, the Moores took time to speak with Yellowhammer News and reflect on their decision to challenge Carl for the new 1st Congressional District.

“My home county and six of the nine counties that were left I already represented, so it was actually a process where we had more counties, he had a little more population, but my home was in the district, as was his,” Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) said, “The courts made the decision for us.”

“The district went really conservative, and if you look at it, it went to the sixth most conservative district in the nation. Being in the House Freedom Caucus, being a conservative, I thought I could represent it pretty well, so it made sense,” he continued.

“Barry’s not a politician, so, in a lot of ways, he would love to come home and run the family business, but we just didn’t feel like it was the time for us to walk away,” Heather Moore said, also noting that the decision took a lot of prayer.

With confidence that he could win the new district and represent its constituency well in Congress, Moore announced his candidacy for the seat on Monday, October 30, 2023.

“Bring it on,” Carl, who announced his reelection bid earlier that month, said in response.

Despite his confidence and sense of calling, Moore’s path to victory looked insurmountable at times.

Just days after announcing his reelection campaign, Carl received numerous key local endorsements from lawmakers, sheriffs, and county commissioners. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, Carl also held a nearly two-to-one fundraising advantage over Moore, and polling favored Carl in the final days of the race.

As the primary election neared, Moore touted his hardline conservative credentials by bringing fellow House Republicans, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to campaign with him in South Alabama. Moore also picked up endorsements from several of his fellow House Freedom Caucus members and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

After all of the votes had been tallied in the March 5 primary, Moore defeated Carl with 58% of the vote.

Reflecting on their campaign strategy, Heather Moore, who runs her husband’s campaign operation, emphasized the goodwill they had established in the counties that they already represented.

“I was on the road for weeks and weeks over in the other side of the district – Escambia, Baldwin, and Mobile Counties – where we were lesser known,” she remembered.

“Thank God our Wiregrass people loved us enough to let us go over there and campaign. But, we had taken such good care of the six Wiregrass counties that they didn’t expect us to campaign over there.”

Naturally, Moore went on to win the November general election in a cakewalk, earning nearly eighty percent of the vote.

Although House Democrats saw a net gain of two seats on Election Day, Republicans held onto their already razor-thin majority. In the weeks between Election Day and the start of the 119th Congress, many wondered if the House Republican Conference would be able to unify after the historically chaotic 118th Congress that saw the first-ever removal of a Speaker.

Asked what steps – if any – the Conference has taken to move forward in a more unified manner, Congressman Moore countered that public disagreement between his Republican colleagues is healthy for the party.

“We have strong personalities in our party, and I think that makes us patriots in many ways. I don’t know that it’s going to get easy, but I think the process is better for the American people than a rubber stamp to continue spending or whatever the case may be,” Moore said, “We need that approach to this broken system right now.”

The Moores both believe that the Republican Party’s ideological diversity will be a key strength as lawmakers seek to tackle issues from a conservative perspective.

“We’re diverse,” Mrs. Moore said, “We have different thoughts. We think for ourselves. We are not a groupthink party.”

This response naturally led to some discussion about whether or not Republican leaders should heed recent calls to support primary opponents to incumbents who are noticeably out of lockstep with the Trump-loyalist faction of the party, namely Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC).

“Really, if you vote the way your district wants you to vote, you shouldn’t worry about a primary…If you vote your convictions, and your district doesn’t reelect you, then maybe you’re not the right representative for that district,” Rep. Moore said.

“I think the process of elections and primaries, as brutal as they can be, I think it’s necessary for the people to have a true voice in the process.”

Rep. Moore drew comparisons to his own decision on which seat to run for in 2024.

“That’s why I was worried about District 2 when they redrew it. People said ‘Well, you could’ve gone up there and run.’ I don’t think I could’ve represented that district that well because I am so conservative, and that district was extremely moderate.”

Asked what his priorities for his new district are in the 119th Congress, Congressman Moore says that, while he is “not a big fan of spending” — infrastructure is key to the district’s continued success.

“There are some investments in infrastructure that will grow the economy. Whether that’s good roads or good bridges for transportation costs. The port, obviously, is huge for us as far as trade goes and as far as the Alabama economy goes. A lot of goods and services come through that port.”

Moore also says cutting taxes and regulations will open his district and the state up for business.

“My votes are not just always about my district, but they’re about the state and the nation. Cutting taxes and regulations is pro-business and pro-economy,” Moore said.

“We have to make sure that what we invest in actually grows the economy, creates jobs, and keeps our country safe.”

“We’re ready to go into the other counties – we’ve got our offices open over there – and we’re ready to be rockstars for them and make them love us as much as the Wiregrass counties do,” Mrs. Moore added.

While the Moores will be spending the next two years working in the District of Columbia, the 2026 election cycle is quickly approaching, so some may wonder if Congressman Moore may make a bid for higher office.

All of the state’s seven constitutional offices will be up for grabs when Alabamians next return to the polls, and if the speculation that Senator Tommy Tuberville will run for governor is accurate, a coveted seat in the United States Senate would be available.

Asked if he would give any thought to seeking a different role in government, Moore said, “What we’ll do – like we always have – is pray about those things.”

“It’s been a blessing and honor to do this, and I’ll continue to do it as long as the Lord makes me stay here, but, if He tells me to do something different, I’ll do that,” he said, adding that he is primarily excited to serve in Congress at the same time Donald Trump occupies the White House – nine years after he became the first elected official in the country to endorse Trump for the presidency.

“As far as what Barry will do next – if he does anything next, other than come home and run our business – it’ll be because, A) people ask him to, people want him to, and people express a need for him to step into another role, and B) because he really feels like it’s what God is calling him to.”

Riley McArdle is a contributor for Yellowhammer News. He is a Junior majoring in Political Science at the University of Alabama and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the College Republican Federation of Alabama. You can follow him on X @rileykmcardle.