Gulf Coast Media

Doug Jones, the Democratic nominee for Alabama's governor in this November's general election, made a virtual appearance during a South Baldwin Democrats meeting on Tuesday, June 23.

Jones is facing Republican nominee Tommy Tuberville in the upcoming gubernatorial race, which will be held Nov 3. Alabama has long been a Republican stronghold, holding a PVI rating of R+15 according to the Cook Partisan Index, which indicates how many percentage points above the national average that party received, calculated based on the results of the previous two presidential elections.

Despite this, Jones expressed optimism about this year's slate of Democratic candidates.

During the primaries, 364,635 people cast a vote in the Democratic primary for governor, an increase of almost 200,000 compared to 2022, which saw 168,224 total votes. It also marks the first time since 2006 that a Democratic candidate is running in all seven statewide races: governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, commissioner of agriculture and industries, treasurer, auditor and attorney general.

"The thing that we keep reminding folks of when they say we can't win, now we've got these numbers to prove that we are on a roll and we are seeing the same increases that we saw in Georgia, in Tennessee, in Florida, in Virginia, in New Jersey," Jones said. "The same outperforming of other Democrats in the past is what is happening in Alabama, and that is going to bode well for all of the statewide races and our local races."

✍📸: Colin James / Gulf Coast Media

A North Baldwin community action group says it is prepared to challenge Baldwin County’s grandfather rule that would allow a proposed utility-scale solar project to proceed even if residents vote next week to institute zoning standards.

Friends of the Tensaw River leaders and legal counsel are arguing the decision is an improper exercise of authority as voters in Stockton prepare to decide on a zoning referendum June 30 that, if approved, could lead to large-scale developments like a solar farm not being allowed in certain areas under new land use rules. Baldwin County Planning District 3’s scheduled vote is largely driven by opposition to a proposed 4,500-acre solar farm planned by Silicon Ranch on private property.

Read the full story at the link in our bio.

✍️: Gabriella Chavez, Report for America Corps Member / GCM Staff Journalist
📷: Micah Green / Gulf Coast Media