Business Exec, A Self-Proclaimed “Full-Throttle Conservative,” Enters Senate Race

 1618862844 
1625752514

Jessica Taylor's Facebook Page

Birmingham business executive Jessica Taylor launched a campaign for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, proclaiming a love for “God, guns, family, fishing and four-wheeling,” and promising to take on socialists, big tech and radical liberals.

Taylor, founder of the grant-writing business Azimuth Grants, is the fourth candidate for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat that will be vacated by Richard Shelby, who plans to retire after next year. The GOP primary will be May 24, 2022. No Democrats have announced as candidates.

Calling herself a “full-throttle conservative,” Taylor joins a field that largely is campaigning as loyalists to former President Donald Trump.

Other candidates so far are U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks of Huntsville, who has been endorsed by Trump; Katie Britt, a former chief of staff for Shelby and until recently the chief executive officer of the Business Council of Alabama; and Lynda Blanchard, a Montgomery business executive who served as U.S. ambassador to Slovenia under Trump.

In a video released Wednesday, Taylor said she wants to finish the border wall promised by Trump and to continue his mission to “drain the swamp.”

“I’m a working mom of three and a small business owner who was raised in rural Alabama to love God, guns, family, fishing and four-wheeling,” she said. “But today I fear everything we hold dear here in Alabama is under attack by socialists, big tech and radical liberals in DC.

“The woke police and fake news media are destroying our democracy,” she said. “Y’all, I’m fit to be tied.”

She also attacked the Biden administration, keying on Vice President Kamala Harris and saying she would be “Kamala’s worst nightmare.”

Taylor is a native of Calhoun County. She graduated from Jacksonville State University and the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at Faulkner University.

 

Q&A: How harm reduction can help mitigate the opioid crisis

Maia Szalavitz discusses harm reduction's effectiveness against drug addiction, how punitive policies can hurt people who need pain medication and more.

The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring a Community Engagement Producer

The Gulf States Newsroom is seeking a curious, creative and collaborative professional to work with our regional team to build up engaged journalism efforts.

Gambling bills face uncertain future in the Alabama legislature

This year looked to be different for lottery and gambling legislation, which has fallen short for years in the Alabama legislature. But this week, with only a handful of meeting days left, competing House and Senate proposals were sent to a conference committee to work out differences.

Alabama’s racial, ethnic health disparities are ‘more severe’ than other states, report says

Data from the Commonwealth Fund show that the quality of care people receive and their health outcomes worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What’s your favorite thing about Alabama?

That's the question we put to those at our recent News and Brews community pop-ups at Hop City and Saturn in Birmingham.

Q&A: A former New Orleans police chief says it’s time the U.S. changes its marijuana policy

Ronal Serpas is one of 32 law enforcement leaders who signed a letter sent to President Biden in support of moving marijuana to a Schedule III drug.

More BirminghamWatch Coverage