In the June 1 Alabama Primary, we have an opportunity to elect a great Democrat and the first African American Congresswoman from Alabama in the 7th Congressional District. Meet Shelia Smoot, the leading candidate according to recent polling, and discuss the issues with her over the next hour.
AL-07, although a very rich historical district, is one of the most impoverished districts in the country with some of the counties holding unemployment rates as high as 27%. Median income rates are well below standard with several counties in the district that have more than 25% of its population below the poverty line.
Alabama 07 is a very irregularly shaped district as it was drawn to elect an African-American representative after the 2000 census. The district includes the largest city in the State - Birmingham as well as 9 counties in the Alabama Black Belt. This district is the cradle of the civil rights movement. Despite this history, this is a region that has failed to progress in terms of infrastructure, jobs, education and health care.We can do better.
Shelia doesn't have the lead in money nor the backing of the D.C. establishment like other candidates in the race, but she does have the people on her side. In Shelia, we can make history by electing the first African-American congresswoman from Alabama as well as someone who will best represent the needs of these constituents. Despite these gloomy statistics, AL-07 has been represented by one of the least valuable Dems since 2002 in Artur Davis. Someone who most recently voted against health care reform despite such a high rate of uninsured. Davis is running for the Democratic nomination in the Gubernatorial race.
Shelia in her opening remarks at a candidates forum asked AL-07 constituents in her own words to
Send somebody to Congress who will impact your life not their own
Shelia in her entire career has clearly been doing that from early days as a student at Michigan State University, an investigative journalist, a consumer radio talk show host, and now as an elected official.
Last month MinistryofTruth had this to say about Shelia Smoot
Primaries in AL-07 are in June and Shelia's opponents are running tons of advertisements in the local media, but what Shelia may lack in campaign funding she clearly makes up in substance. AL-07 is a strong Democratic district in a very Red State where the primary will be more competitive than the general election. If you are serious about MORE and BETTER you really couldn't do any better than supporting Shelia Smoot for Congress. Further, if we ever hope to send a Democrat to the Senate from Alabama, the best thing we could do is to send Shelia to Congress and hope for her political career to really take off from there.
Among Shelia Smoot's policy positions, she is strongly pro choice, pro EFCA, pro immigration reform, pro consumer and a staunch advocate for the Democratic platform. In my humble opinion Shelia Smoot embodies what the next generation of Southern Democrats should be, unabashedly populist, involved in their communities on a grassroots level, and in touch with their constituents on the issues they face every day in real life situations.
On that note, I am honored to give you Shelia Smoot. Here are a few questions that I've come up with as well as a few from friends on her facebook page
Question 1. How does your experience separate you from the other candidates in the race?
Question 2 Economic development and jobs are a priority for this very impoverished district. How do you plan to encourage growth that will create jobs?
Question 3 How can the quality of life in AL-07 be improved with your representation?
Question 4 - How will attempt to work with your republican counter parts in congress?
Question 5 Will you push for more green energy legislation?
Who should represent the 7th Congressional District in Alabama? Hand picked establishment candidates or those that have been fighting for the least of these for her entire career?
Make a Donation on Act Blue and Support Shelia Smoot for Congress
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