I am hearing, in person and on social media, a number of Alabama folks who will vote for Donald Trump for their first time ever. They now see what is going on.
When they go to the polls on November 5, they need to be mindful that President Trump cannot make the changes he articulates all by himself. He needs a Republican U.S. Senate, a Republican House of Representatives, and an entire team of elected officials on the state and local levels.
It takes a team. A Trump team.
When newly converted Trump voters go to vote, they should back up that vote with a straight ticket vote for the entire Trump team. One mark on the ballot under the GOP emblem can accomplish that.
An example is the U.S. Senate. It is now under control of Chuck Schumer and the Democrats. That needs to change on November 5, 2024. If Republicans can take the U.S. Senate, it will mean that the Trump appointments to federal courts will be confirmed. If the Dems keep the Senate, it will mean a constant battle to get constitutional judges confirmed and confirmations would be just the beginning of troubles.
In Alabama, we can’t much help Trump in the Senate. Neither of our U.S. Senate seats are up for election this cycle. For Republican Senate candidates in other states, about all we in Alabama can do is pray and send campaign donations.
In the U.S. House, it is a different matter altogether. The cards have been dealt to Alabama voters to impact (and maybe to decide) whether Republicans can keep control of the House. One of President Trump 47’s greatest needs is for the U.S. House to stay under Republican control. The margin of control in the U.S. House right now is thin – seriously thin.
If the Dems were to retake the House, it would be a serious setback to the Trump 47 presidency. The Nancy Pelosi bunch would be an impediment to the Trump agenda from day one. We do not need that. We need to give President Trump 47 a Republican House, a Trump House.
Two congressional districts in Alabama are vital and could decide control of the House. District 2 was redrawn by the federal courts to favor the Democrats – slightly favor. CD2 is a swing district, a purple district. It could go to either Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson or Democrat nominee Shomari Figures.
Because of the narrowest of margins in control of the House, CD2 may be the deciding race in the nation. CD2 is a GOP district at this moment, but the CD2 incumbent got redistricted into CD1, so there is no incumbent, making CD2 an open seat. Democrats have targeted CD2 for outside millions and professional organizers. Conservative activists are countering that with a citizens’ voter registration project, Save Our U.S. House.
New Trump voters in CD2 should understand this when they go vote. Not only should they vote for their new choice of Trump at the top of the ticket, but they should also vote for a Trump House by voting for Caroleene Dobson (R-Montgomery) for Congress.
The 13 counties in CD2 are: Washington, southern Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Pike, Montgomery, Bullock, Macon, Russell, Barbour and parts of Mobile: most of the city of Mobile, most predominantly Democrat precincts, and most of north Mobile County. CD2 extends from the Mississippi line at Mobile to the Georgia line at Russell County.
Alabama’s congressional district seven is Democrat, represented by Rep. Terry Sewell (D-Birmingham). That district has been impossible for a Republican to win – until now. The federal courts wanted to create a Democrat district in AL2. To do so, they moved thousands of African-American voters out of CD7 into CD2. CD7 is now less Democrat than it has ever been.
The best chance for a Republican to win CD7 is now, this election cycle, Nov. 5, 2024.
The Republican nominee against Democrat Rep. Sewell is Robin Litaker of Birmingham. An Alabama “State Teacher of the Year,” Litaker is a member of the Trump Team. An upset win by Litaker would flip a blue district to red and just about guarantee GOP control of the House. Alabama can make a difference.
The counties in CD7 are: Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Marengo, Pickens, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties, and portions of Clarke, Jefferson, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa counties.
Trump voters in CD7 should back up their vote with Robin Litaker for Congress. Trump voters in CD2 should back up their vote with Caroleene Dobson for Congress. Alabama: We dare to make a difference.
Jim Zeigler is a voter registration consultant for ‘Save Our U.S. House.’ He served as Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor.
