Alabama Democrats hope for improved showing in 2022 elections
Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Chris England
Politics in Alabama is extremely lopsided. Republicans hold all statewide offices plus supermajorities in the state legislature. With the exception of the election of U.S. Senator Doug Jones in a special election in 2017, Democrats have made little headway electorally outside of some local races. But Alabama Democrats are in a good position this year according to the head of the Alabama Democratic Party.
“Once you see all the commercials and the fighting that the Republicans are doing, it paints a stark contrast between some of the more extreme elements of their message and their base versus the message that you will get from Democratic candidates,” said state Rep. Chris England, state party chairman.
England said Republicans in Alabama are running on issues that divide and scare people while Democrats are focused on issues that make a difference in voters’ lives.
“I think that you’ll see that not only are [statewide Democratic candidates] better candidates, but they have a better platform,” England said.
Alabama Democrats have pushed for Medicaid expansion and legalization of recreational marijuana. England spoke in favor of abortion rights after the leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion suggested the justices are set to overturn Roe v. Wade. England described those as “winning issues,” citing national polling that showed majority support for some level of abortion access and softening views on marijuana.
England said a recently enacted Alabama law banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth interferes with the rights of parents to raise their children. He said Democrats will protect voting rights which he called a “non-partisan issue.”
While England does not expect Democrats to suddenly sweep all their candidates into office this fall, he does predict more competitive races for Huntsville and Birmingham-area state legislative races.
“You measure success relative to the circumstance that you’re dealing with,” England said.
At the Supreme Court, the case of the candidate who sued, even though he won
At issue was a suit by Rep. Michael Bost, R-Ill., challenging an Illinois regulation that allows ballots mailed in by Election Day to be counted for up to 14 days after polls close.
Israel and Hamas agree on the ‘first phase’ of Gaza ceasefire deal
The deal raises the possibility that the war may now be over, ending the bloodiest fighting ever between Israelis and Palestinians.
After Spain’s blackout, critics blamed renewable energy. It’s part of a bigger attack
When millions lost power in Spain and Portugal this spring, some were quick to blame too much solar and wind power. That wasn't the cause, but the misinformation had an impact.
‘Fairyland’ recalls a girl’s life with her poet father in pre-AIDS San Francisco
Alysia Abbott's memoir about growing up in 1970s San Francisco with her gay, single father, has been adapted into a film directed by Andrew Durham and produced by Sofia Coppola.
Los Angeles: Spaghetti Cumbia, a band born from cultural fusion
Photographers and storytellers Karla Gachet and Ivan Kashinsky document cumbia music in Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina and the United States.
What are your holiday shopping plans? NPR wants to hear from you
Is this the season of cutbacks or splurges? As we prepare to cover holiday shopping and deals, NPR wants to hear from you, whatever your plans may be.
