MONTGOMERY – Former U.S. Senator and Democratic hopeful for Alabama governor Doug Jones joins Capitol Journal this evening for a sit down interview with host Todd Stacy.
Jones said he decided to run for governor to help the people of Alabama who are hurting, whether it be because of high grocery bills and insurance costs or stagnating wages. He said he’s been encouraged to run for years and though it wasn’t the reason he decided to run, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s candidacy made the decision “a heck of a lot easier.”
Jones was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2017 after defeating Republican Roy Moore in a special election and served from 2018 to 2021. He was defeated by Tuberville in his bid for reelection in 2020. Alabamians are likely to see a repeat of that 2020 Senate race in November if Jones and Tuberville win their respective party primaries.
After his stint in federal politics, Jones said he’s returning to state politics to focus on kitchen table issues.
“The governor’s office and the state government is where the rubber meets the road,” he said. “That’s where you can do the most good for the most people.”
Jones argued that many people across the state feel their representatives in Montgomery are not responsive to their needs and wants, which he wants to change by listening to the people of Alabama, he said.
Allowing Alabamians to vote on a lottery, legalizing online sports betting and improving health care and education are important issues for his campaign, Jones said.
“In a broad sense, I want to give some power back to people,” he said.
Tune in to Alabama Public Television at 7:30 p.m. to see the full interview.