On Saturday, all three candidates vying for the Republican nomination in Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District spoke to the Alabama Republican Assembly asking for the influential conservative group’s support and endorsement.
Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) is being challenged in the primary by automotive businessman Garrick Wilkins and insurance agent Ken McFeeters.
Garrick Wilkins said he is running for Congress because, “I really don’t think Congress has done a very good job.”
“I have written a book on congressional term limits,” Wilkins said.
Wilkins said that he was very concerned about the U.S. southern border with Mexico.
“It is atrocious to see,” Wilkins said of the border situation.
“Our debt has grown from $18 trillion to $34 trillion in the last decade,” Wilkins said. “I think we can do a much better job. Our founding fathers intended we have citizen legislators and not career politicians.”
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Wilkins expressed concerns about the COVID pandemic and “the amount of money that we have poured money” into pandemic relief; while member of Congress were, “Trading stocks in pharmaceuticals. There is a problem with that.”
“I think we can do better for our children,” Wilkins said.
Wilkins was asked, if given the worsening global situation, if he was prepared to serve in Congress during what could likely turn into World War III.
“We clearly face a lot of threats in the world today,” Wilkins said. “Declaring war and sending our brave young men overseas to fight would have to be taken with great seriousness. My biggest concern is what is going on on the southern border.”
Palmer said he has seen classified briefings of threat assessments and expressed concern for the evolving geopolitical situation.
“That is the thing that keeps me awake at night,” Palmer said. “We are in one of the most dangerous places we have been in our country’s history.”
Palmer said that millions of people have been intercepted at the border and “There are 1.5 million people that got away.”
Palmer warned that there is a terrorist threat as well as 26,000 Chinese nationals who have crossed into this country. He also defended his 2018 vote against a border security bill.
“It didn’t have the border wall funding I think it needed, it did not end chain migration, it didn’t demand e-verify,” Palmer said. “Over half of the majority of the House Republicans including Mo Brooks, Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, and Trey Gowdy also voted no.”
Palmer criticized Biden’s decisions to block construction of the Keystone pipeline, shut down liquified natural gas production, and oil and natural gas exploration.
“He has compromised our national security with his energy policy,” Palmer said of Biden. “We have critical minerals in this country, but he won’t let us mine them or build the processing facilities. They are all in Asia and China is the existential threat.”
RELATED: WSJ: Gary Palmer influential in Trump’s energy policy plans for next administration
“I have a number of bills coming down the pike,” Palmer said of his work in Congress. “I show up for everything.”
“I pray to God that Trump gets elected,” Palmer said of the upcoming general election.
Palmer said that he has spoken with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson about the current budget impasse.
“I told him that we are heading to an omnibus,” Palmer said. “I can’t support an omnibus.”
Palmer said that he would support a continuing resolution on spending that would keep the government funded to May 1. At that time by law, 1% cut across the board spending cuts would kick in.
Palmer said that the House has already passed a good border security bill.
“HR2 does exactly what we need to do, but is sitting on (Senate Majority Leader) Chuck Schumer’s desk,” Palmer said. “Viruses we have not seen in this country in 60 years are coming across the border.”
Palmer said that he favors repealing the Green New Deal bank and using that $21 billion to come up with $17 billion in aid that Israel needs.
RELATED: Rep. Palmer defends record against conservative challengers in congressional debate
McFeeters said that he favored doing away with the U.S. Department of Education, expressed his concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine, and warned that deficit spending was empowering government to continue limitless social programs and endless wars.
“Wars do one thing, they create debt,” McFeeters said. “We have been fighting wars most of my life.”
“They literally print themselves money then they loan it to us,” McFeeters said of the Federal Reserve. “They have been printing money for themselves. A very small group of people control the economy of the US and most of the world.”
The primary election is March 5.
The Republican Assembly considers itself to be “the conscience of the Republican Party.” They seek to elect conservatives in the Republican primary and in the general election. An estimated 80 Republican Assembly members and supporters were in attendance at Saturday’s event in Pelham.
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