First-term Shelby County Commissioner Mike Vest is considering jumping in the Republican primary for Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District seat, which is coming open in 2014. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, announced in late September that he will not seek re-election.
Vest was elected to his seat on the commission in 2012, defeating an incumbent who had been in office for two decades.
He told Yellowhammer Sunday evening that constituents began approaching him about considering a congressional run shortly after Bachus’s announcement.
“Folks have come up and said, ‘hey you ought to do this,'” Vest said. “I’m happy to be a commissioner. It’s an honor. But when people come up and ask me to consider Congress, it makes me at least want to say, ‘should I do this?'”
Although Vest’s base of support would be in Shelby County, he stressed that he has roots throughout the sixth district.
“I’m a Shelby County commissioner, but I grew up in Jefferson Couny. My grandfather was from Bibb County. The first time I took my son hunting was in Coosa County. I have ties all over the sixth district,” Vest said.
But fundraising is his big question mark, as it is with so many potential candidates. If Vest runs for congress, he’ll go from having to round up a couple thousand votes to win his commission seat, to needing a couple hundred thousands votes to go to D.C.
“I don’t know yet if I can compete when it comes to fundraising,” Vest said. “I’ve got to get support from people from every county in the district. We would start a grassroots effort and see what we can do.”
Vest said he will make a decision on whether or not to run after spending more time praying with his family and church, but said his decision will have nothing to do with who else is running.
“The reason I’m considering this has nothing to do with the other people who are running or considering running,” he said. “I’ve known [Rep. Paul] DeMarco, for instance, for a while now. I think he’s a fine man.”
“Look I’m just a common guy,” Vest continued. “I’m not a politician. I’m not an agitator. I’d be going to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the people of the sixth district.”
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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