Greene County Democrat

Tag: Roy Moore

  • Doug Jones to launch 2026 gubernatorial campaign Friday with Birmingham kickoff rally

     

    Former Senator Doug Jones speaks at the 60th Commemoration of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Birmingham, Ala.  AP Pool Photo/Butch Dill

    By Bill Britt, Alabama Political Reporters

    Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones will officially kick off his 2026 gubernatorial campaign Friday evening at The Theodore in Birmingham, marking the most significant Democratic entry into a statewide race in more than a decade.
    The rally, scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. CST, will feature performances by six-time Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and DJ Slim Robb, underscoring the campaign’s effort to build excitement ahead of what insiders say will be one of the most consequential elections in recent Alabama history.
    Jones, who shocked the nation on December 12, 2017, when he defeated Roy Moore to become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama in 25 years, enters the governor’s race with deep national recognition and what party officials describe as “full confidence” from Democratic leadership. A senior strategist told APR the launch represents “a moment when Democrats across Alabama and across the country are lined up behind one candidate,” framing Jones as the party’s best chance to reset the state’s political trajectory.
    The campaign says Friday’s event is designed to evoke the broad coalition that powered Jones’ 2017 victory—young voters, suburban moderates, African American communities, and independents frustrated by political dysfunction. “Doug has always believed Alabama is at its strongest when people come together across lines that normally divide us,” a close ally said. “This campaign will reflect that belief in every county we visit.”
    Doors open at 5 p.m. at The Theodore, located at 3211 2nd Avenue South in Birmingham. The kickoff will conclude at 7 p.m. Jones will be joined by his wife, Louise Jones, longtime supporters, and additional guests expected to be announced as the event nears.
    With Republicans preparing for what could be a bruising primary season, Jones’ entry signals that Democrats believe the 2026 governor’s race presents a real opportunity. Whether that optimism takes hold will begin to come into focus Friday night, as Jones makes his opening case why he is ready to lead Alabama into a better tomorrow for all.


    Doug Jones campaign reports $105K raised from 800 Alabama donors

    The campaign committee supporting Doug Jones’s bid for governor reported a strong early fundraising effort this week, filing its first financial disclosure with the Alabama Secretary of State.
    According to the report, Doug for Alabama raised more than $105,000 from over 800 Alabama residents. The committee was organized three business days after Jones announced his candidacy on November 24, 2025, making the filing an early snapshot of donor activity at the outset of the campaign.
    The disclosure shows a broad base of in-state contributors, an indicator often watched closely in statewide races as campaigns work to establish momentum and demonstrate organizational strength. Early fundraising totals can play an important role in signaling viability, particularly in a contest expected to draw significant attention ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
    Campaign officials said the report reflects only the initial phase of fundraising, as the campaign continues building its statewide operation and preparing for future outreach and events.

  • Newswire: Do you want to accelerate social innovation? Invest in Black women.

    Jerelyn Rodriguez , WOMEN@FORBES
    Black women.jpg
     Black woman working on computer

    Is America just waking up to the fact that #BlackGirlMagic is real?
    A few weeks ago the world was raving about the 98% of Black female voters that prevented Roy Moore, accused of sexually assaulting teens, from taking the Senate seat in Alabama. The next day titles like “black women saved America” took over the internet. But let’s not forget that black women have been trying to save the world for generations and in some cases only lack the resources to realize true impact.
    A report issued last year from DigitalUndivided found that even though women accounted for 30% of all small business owners, they received 4.4% of small business loans. In a recent EdSurge article, Aaron Walker from Camelback Ventures highlights that of venture capital funding, “on average, black women raise $36,000, while White men raise $1.3 million.” The disparities in venture and nonprofit funding are slowing down authentic social innovation efforts tackling society’s biggest problems.
    One example is social innovation taking place in the South Bronx, the poorest congressional district, where nearly 30% of young South Bronx residents are unemployed. To solve this, in 2016, with the support of JobsFirstNYC’s Young Adult Sectoral Employment Project (YASEP), The Knowledge House designed the Bronx Digital Pipeline (BxDP). BxDP is a strategic partnership among ten technology education organizations and higher education institutions offering technology skills training to young people from Bronx. The objective is to connect disadvantaged young people to occupational training customized to employer needs that lead to industry-recognized credentials, entry-level tech jobs, and higher wages.
    Emphasizing technology training and entrepreneurship in the Bronx allows disadvantaged young adults to gain exposure to the technology field, helping close the opportunity gap, and fueling an education to employment pipeline of diverse talent. The Bronx can add value to the technology field by providing a centrally and economically accessible pool of well-trained and well-vetted talent so employers can fulfill their various hiring needs. But absent of resources, will we be able to achieve our vision of alleviating poverty? Will we be able to fulfill the promise to the young people in the South Bronx that armed with proper training they too can take part in and thrive in a growing tech industry?
    It has been challenging to fundraise as a young, female, entrepreneur of color. I get called to share my expertise on how to bring technology to the Bronx. Too often I see investments go to outside experts and entities to lead new projects in low-income communities instead of existing grassroots-driven initiatives. Walker states, “companies and organizations led by people of color make a difference in building better solutions for students who look like them. It’s a lot easier to empathize with your user when you are your user.”
    This is why I was intentional about staff hiring at The Knowledge House(TKH). At TKH 100% of our staff are from or currently reside in the area that we serve, 100% identify as African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino or Asian, approximately 60% identify as female, and 50% are alumni of the program. We believe this makes us innovative because students are being taught by people that look like them and have gone through similar experiences. We are inspired by our students and early results — this year 70% of Knowledge House students have been matched to entry-level technology employment. Noteworthy placements include Barclays, Bloomberg, and NYC Department of Education.
    The ideas and proposals from entrepreneurs of color that could potentially impact the most needy communities are not being valued. If we are being denied the right to serve those that look like us, who is being given the right? Walker said it best, ‘What do we miss out on because we failed to provide the financial support necessary for their ideas to take root and spread?’ If we want social innovation to move forward, funders need to believe in our visions as we have developed and iterated them based on our own experiences.
    Let’s hustle together. Let’s invest in leaders who are bringing social innovation to their community. Let’s celebrate, invest in, and champion #BlackGirlMagic.