NEWS
8 • Thursday, May 5, 2022
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
STATE SENATE DISTRICT 15 PRIMARY
Roberts Seeking Second Term to Continue Working on Making the State Competitive By Rubin E. Grant
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workforce. “We need to improve and educate the When Dan Roberts was elected to the Alabama workforce,” Roberts said. “This can Alabama state Senate four years ago, his pribe done by expanding vocational training in mary focus was on making the state competiour schools. The more skills our workforce has tive in business and education. the more growth our state will see. We need to That’s still his focus as he seeks re-election ensure that our workforce is the best prepared in the upcoming in the U.S.” Republican primary With that in mind, for state Senate Roberts believes District 15. Roberts, education is one of who lives in the most important Mountain Brook, will issues in the state. face challenger Brian “You look at testChristine, who also ing scores, and we’re lives in Mountain so far down,” he Brook, in the said. “If we don’t fix Republican primary this, we are so badly May 24. The winner hurt.” of the primary most Roberts said the likely will take the state needs to expand seat, unless an indevocational training Dan Roberts pendent or third-party in Alabama high candidate qualifies, schools so students because no Democrat is seeking it. can take advantage of job opportunities when “I want Alabama to be competitive when it they graduate. He pointed to the Smuckers comes to new jobs and industry,” Roberts said. plant that is expected to open by 2025 in “We also need to provide our children and Jefferson County as one such opportunity. The their teachers with the tools they need to sucplant is expected to bring 300-plus jobs to the ceed.” area as part of a $1.2 billion investment. Roberts believes the best way for that to Roberts also mentioned a plant that is on happen is through tax reform. He pointed to track to open by the end of 2022 in Selma that the tax credit bill he sponsored that Gov. Kay will produce surgical masks and N95 facial Ivey signed into law in February. The law will masks and could employ as many as 300 keep Alabama families from paying state taxes workers. on the federal child tax credit, the dependent Roberts, however, has questions about an care credit and the earned income tax credit, education lottery because he’s concerned about which were increased during the COVID-19 where the money eventually would go and pandemic. believes it could pave the way for more casi“If you have two nos throughout the state. children, this is probaChristine has critibly right around $200 cized Roberts for being ‘I speak to people every that they will not pay,” out of touch with day. I have kept track of Roberts said after the District 15 constituents, legislation became law. but Roberts said he reghow many hours since “They’ll get a tax credularly meets with mayNovember of 2021 I it on it and save them ors, city leaders and $200 in taxes.” school officials as well have spent meeting with Roberts said, business owners people and it comes to 82 as “Helping families has throughout the district. been a key component “I speak to people days and 23 hours. It’s a of my tenure.” every day,” he said. “I privilege to do what I do.’ have kept track of how Roberts has focused on tax issues since he many hours since DAN ROBERTS was elected in 2018 November of 2021 I have spent meeting with following a career in people and it comes to 82 days and 23 hours. real estate development, private equity and “It’s a privilege to do what I do.” international trade. Another bill he sponsored Roberts has been campaigning this spring changed the way the state taxes businesses, without his wife, Anne, who died at the age of which he said will make them more competi64 on March 4 of COVID-related symptoms. tive. They were college sweethearts and had been “This really helps the small businesses, married for 41 years with three sons and eight such as heating and cooling, roofing and even grandchildren. restaurants and convenience stores,” Roberts “It was the heartbreak of my life when she said. died,” Roberts said. “It’s very hard doing this Roberts serves on Lt. Gov. Will without my best friend, but I am going as hard Ainsworth’s workforce development commitI can go.” tee, which is studying how to improve the
The Challenger
Christine Wants to Lead From the Front Should He Be Elected By Rubin E. Grant
from the front,” Christine said. “If I am elected, I’m absolutely going to do that.” As a surgeon, Brian Christine is used to doing Christine considers the two biggest challengthings hands on. He hopes to take that same kind es facing the state as education and economic of approach to Montgomery if he is elected as a development. state senator. “With respect to state education, Alabama is Christine, a urologist with Urology Centers of ranked 52nd overall and that’s a huge problem,” Alabama in he said. “Children are Homewood, is chalour future. If we can’t lenging incumbent provide them with a Dan Roberts in the good education, then Republican primary they will lack the for state Senate foundation for finding District 15. The wina good job. So educatner of the primary ing our children is a most likely will take primary issue.” the seat, unless an On the issue of a independent or thirdlottery, Christine said party candidate qualiit could be a good fies, because no thing if the money Democrat is seeking goes to the right it. place, chiefly educaBrian Christine “I am blessed and tion. fortunate to be a surAs for economic geon, but I see all the division and strife in our development, Christine said, “Job growth is realstate concerning education and health care, and I ly important. I have been working hard the last want to make a difference the same way I do in four years to provide conservative solutions to the operating room with my patients,” Christine improve the business environment of our state.” said. For that reason, Christine said his campaign Christine spends plenty of time building relais mostly self-funded while claiming that Roberts tions with his patients, but he said many of the is beholden to political action committees or elected state legislators do not make an effort to other special interest groups. know the people they are supposed to serve, “He’s receiving hundreds of thousands of dolincluding Roberts. lars in PAC money,” Christine said. “As with any “When I go around and speak to groups in politician, they are not giving because the person the district and ask them who their state senator is such a nice guy but because they want someis from District 15, the vast majority of them thing in return.” don’t know,” Christine said. “There’s a tremenRoberts has received money from PACs such dous disconnect with the as the Forestry PAC, people. It’s not the peoMainstream PAC (a pro‘I am blessed and ple’s responsibility to business and industry know who their legislafortunate to be a surgeon, PAC), Wholesale PAC tor is, it’s the legislator’s and PACs representing but I see all the division responsibility. I want pharmacies, poultry, them to know me and I retailers and construction and strife in our state want to know them.” companies. concerning education and Christine lives in But Roberts said the Mountain Brook with his health care, and I want to support shows he’s makwife, Helena Christine, “positive change” in make a difference the same ing an attorney at UAB. District 15. They have a married Christine realizes he way I do in the operating daughter and a grandfaces an uphill battle to room with my patients.’ daughter. unseat Roberts. Christine considers “It’s always tough to BRIAN CHRISTINE himself a staunch conserrun against an incumbent,” Christine said. vative — as does Roberts “For one thing, he has immediate name recogni— and sees himself as a political outsider. He tion and the political powers that be don’t like grew up in a military family and his father sevsomeone bucking it. But in my practice, I try to ered in Vietnam and was severely injured. build relationships with people and make their Christine said he wants to take a fighting lives better. It’s just part of my personality. I spirit to Montgomery while being a voice for his want to build similar relationships with the peoconstituents as a “straight talk” public servant. ple in District 15.” “I think people want a leader who will lead Courtesy
The Incumbent
The winner of the primary most likely will take the seat, unless an independent or third-party candidate qualifies, because no Democrat is seeking it.
