The ANSA delegates heard from four candidates running for the District 5 State School Board position, which represents 15 counties across the south central part of the state.
Candidates Billie Jean Young, Tanya Smith Chestnut, Joanne Shun and Woodie Pugh addressed the group and answered questions about closing the school achievement gap for Black children, infusing Black history into the school curriculum and increasing resources for public education. Billie Jean Young received the endorsement.
Laura Casey, a Montgomery attorney was endorsed for Chair of the Alabama Public Service Commission over Robert Martin. In her screening, she exhibited a firm grasp of the problem of wresting control of energy policy and pricing from the utility companies, which is the role of the Public Service Commission.
The ANSA also had a spirited screening of candidates for U. S. Congress from around the state and endorsed: District 1 – James Averhart, District 2 – Nathan Mathis, District 3 – Adia Winfrey, District 4 – Rick Neighbors, District 7 – Terri Sewell.
The ANSA also endorsed incumbent Doug Jones for U. S. Senate, although he is not opposed and will not appear on the March 3 primary ballot.
ANSA also urged a ‘No’ vote on Statewide Amendment No. 1 which provides for appointment of the State School Board by the Governor in place of the current system of election by districts.
ANSA chapters around the state will have screenings for county and local candidates over the next two weeks and submit these recommendations to the state office to be included on sample ballots together with the endorsed statewide candidates, to be distributed at the polls for the March 3 primary election.
The Greene County ANSA membership will hold screenings for local candidates running for Revenue Commissioner and School Board seats in Districts 3, 4 and 5, on Sunday, February 9, 2020 at 4:00 PM at the Eutaw Activity Center.
After the ANSA endorsement screenings, the group reconvened for a luncheon as the Alabama New South Coalition. The group heard a greeting from Ivan Peeples, a Greene County high school senior and ANSC youth 2nd Vice-President. There were also remarks from William Scott of the U. S. Census Bureau on the importance of a full count for the 2020 Census, which will be held on April 1, 2020.
Mayor Randall Woodfin of Birmingham was the keynote luncheon speaker, who spoke on the importance of voting in the 2020n elections. He said, “We expect there will be disagreements in the March primary but we must come together and vote together in the November 3 General Election, to change the direction of this country.”
Woodfin stressed, “ The Democratic Party is the party of hope for people. The other side embraces fear and supports disunity. We must come together in November to use our ballots to change America and Alabama for the better.”
Persons interested in joining and leaning more about ANSC, may contact Shelley Fearson at the ANSC State Office in Montgomery at 334-262-0932; or Carol Zippert, Greene County ANSC at 205-372-0525.
Meeting in Montgomery on Saturday, February 1, more than 150 delegates to the Alabama New South Alliance (ANSA), a sister political organization of the Alabama New South Coalition (ANSC), made endorsements of candidates running in the March 3, 2020 primary.
ANSA members heard from candidates and asked them questions as part of the endorsement process.
Representatives of Presidential candidates: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, and Michael Bloomberg were present and participated in the screening. Former Vice President Joe Biden received the ANSA endorsement.