Manufacture Alabama announced its endorsement of former U.S. Rep Jerry Carl for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District on Wednesday.
The historic special primary election after Alabama’s redistricting victories will be held on August 11 among Republican voters.
“Manufacture Alabama is proud to endorse Jerry Carl for Congress because he has consistently championed the policies that support Alabama’s manufacturing industry and is always looking for ways to strengthen our state’s economy,” said Jon Barganier, president and CEO of Manufacture Alabama.
“Mr. Carl’s experience as a business owner and public servant has given him a deep appreciation for the challenges and opportunities facing Alabama employers. His work to further our state’s workforce development efforts, invest in our infrastructure, push for energy reliability and regulatory certainty aligns perfectly with our industry’s priorities.”
Bargainer says Manufacture Alabama’s backing of Carl is largely due to his credible reputation as an Alabama business owner while working alongside job creators in the state. Manufacture Alabama says Carl’s experience in the industry will make him the “most effective representative” for AL-01.
“I am honored to have the endorsement of a group like Manufacture Alabama,” Carl said. “Manufacturing is the key to economic success of Alabama, and I look forward to working with Manufacture Alabama on making Alabama the best place in the nation for manufacturing.”
The endorsement comes after the redistricting shakeup following the special session. Manufacture Alabama originally endorsed State Rep. Rhett Marques (R-Enterprise) back in November for District 1, before the map reverted to the 2023 Legislature drawn version. Marques is now running in District 2.
Manufacture Alabama serves as the state’s only trade association focused exclusively on the legislative, regulatory, and operational needs of manufacturers and their partner industries.
The organization represents hundreds of companies—from major global corporations to family-owned operations—that play a critical role in Alabama’s economy.
