Words and Images Special to The Walker Leader
The Walker County Republican Party met on Thursday, July 27, at Bevill State Community College in Jasper. Attendees had the privilege of hearing from two key speakers, Representative Wes Kitchens and Representative Brock Colvin, who shared valuable insights about the state of the Republican party and the importance of political involvement.
Representative Kitchens, Alabama House GOP Vice-Chair, addressed the dangers of complacency among Republican voters. He emphasized that while the party had achieved significant victories in the past, it was crucial to avoid becoming unconcerned.
Kitchens recounted his experiences in his home county of Marshall, where Republicans consistently received overwhelming support in elections, saying, “When I would go around meeting people and asking them to vote for me, they would say, ‘you don’t need it, you’re a Republican, you’ve got this.'” This sense of security, he warned, could lead to losing control if they become complacent. He urged attendees not to take anything for granted and to remain active in the political process to keep the Republican party strong.
Representative Colvin spoke on the importance of understanding politics and getting involved from a young age, saying, “I was 26 when I won my primary, and people tried to give me a million reasons not to run, but I am glad I did anyway. When I was running, I said that my number one goal, win or lose, was to get young people involved in politics. Young people need to stand up and fight the conservative fight, because if we don’t, and our generation gets lazy, I fear for the future of the Republican party in our country.”
A subsequent question-and-answer session with the representatives gave attendees insights into the challenges and rewards of serving in the state legislature. Kitchens and Colvin stressed the importance of reaching out to young people and getting them involved in political matters.
The meeting also featured talks from two distinguished Walker County natives: Vicki Drummond, currently serving her third term as Secretary of the Republican National Committee, and Greg Reed, President Pro Tempore of the Alabama State Senate. Drummond and Reed provided updates on the current state of the Republican party at both the national and state levels, offering valuable perspectives on the party’s direction.
At the end of the meeting, attendees had the opportunity to step forward and announce their intent to run for office in upcoming elections. Several elected officials in attendance shared that they plan to run for re-election, while others, such as Oakman’s Jordan Madison, intend to run for the first time. WL
