A request for a public debate ahead of Alabama’s 1st Congressional District general election has turned into a public dispute between Republican nominee Jerry Carl and Democratic nominee Clyde Jones Jr.
Fresh off his primary victory Tuesday, Carl said he would not debate Jones, a Daphne resident who responded by calling on the former congressman to take part in at least one public forum before the Nov. 3 general election.
“Let the voters hear from us and make an informed choice when they vote for their representative in November,” Jones said Tuesday. He added that, if elected, he wants to ensure Congress “accepts its responsibility” in crafting policy on immigration, health care and veterans affairs.
Carl rejected the request in a statement issued Wednesday. “A debate only brings life to the Democrats’ socialist platform,” Carl said. “We feel confident in our ability to bring America First and Alabama Values directly to the Alabama voters. We will not commit to any debates at this time.” Carl’s campaign declined further comment.
Jones criticized Carl’s decision, calling it “cowardly.” “As a veteran, I find it cowardly not to give them that opportunity,” said Jones, a U.S. Army veteran and Bronze Star recipient who served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom II. “We respect our voters enough to know that we need to earn their vote, and that includes giving them an opportunity to hear our platform, face-to-face.”
A Republican-Leaning District
Jones, an associate minister at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Daphne, faces long odds in the Republican-leaning district. Carl represented Alabama’s 1st Congressional District from 2021 to 2025 and is seeking to return to Congress after winning Tuesday’s Republican primary.
The district was re-established during a special legislative session in May and includes Mobile, Baldwin and Escambia counties, along with portions of Covington County. Its boundaries closely resemble those used before 2023, prior to a court-ordered congressional redistricting that created a second majority-Black congressional district and shifted Baldwin County and much of the Wiregrass region into the 1st District. Following U.S. Supreme Court decisions on redistricting and voting rights this spring, the pre-2023 Republican-backed map was restored, along with a new, GOP-leaning District 2 seat in south Alabama. By nonpartisan election analyses, the 1st Congressional District favors Republicans by 17 percentage points.
Jones’ Platform
Despite the long odds, Jones is using the race to promote a platform that includes expanding Medicaid, overturning Citizens United through congressional action, banning stock trading by members of Congress and their immediate families, and pursuing immigration reform that includes a “clear path” to documented status.
Jones also criticized Carl’s prior record in Congress, arguing that Carl “legislated zero bills that became law” during his previous term. Jones said voters deserve to hear Carl discuss issues beyond what Jones characterized as familiar campaign talking points, such as pledging support for President Trump and describing Democrats as socialists.
A Broader Trend in Alabama Politics
The dispute comes as debates between major-party candidates have grown increasingly uncommon in Alabama’s statewide and federal races. The most recent congressional debate ahead of a general election took place in 2024, when Republican Caroleene Dobson and Democrat Shomari Figures met before their race in Alabama’s redrawn 2nd Congressional District, which Figures ultimately won.
This year, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones has said he welcomes a debate with Republican U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a request Jones also made during Tuberville’s successful 2020 Senate campaign; the two have never shared a debate stage. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has also largely avoided formal debates during her gubernatorial campaigns — including skipping a 2018 Republican primary debate in favor of a Birmingham Barons baseball game appearance, a decision that drew criticism from rivals but did not appear to hurt her politically. Ivey won that primary outright and went on to defeat Democratic nominee Walt Maddox in the general election.
Alabama’s 1st Congressional District seat has seen debates before: in October 2018, Republican U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne debated Democratic challenger Robert Kennedy Jr. during a one-hour radio event.