Constitution, Veterans Drive John Mills’ Long-Shot Bid in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District

John Mills says he entered the race for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District for one reason above all: what he describes as a drift away from the U.S. Constitution.

Mills said ahead of the Aug. 11 special primary that he knows what a crisis is and the country is in crisis mode. He said he is worried about the constitutional republic being lost, and that we are drifting too far away from the Constitution.

Mills, a retired U.S. Navy pilot, was one of four Republicans on the ballot in the special primary for the district covering Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia and Covington counties, along with former U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, Fairhope businessman Austin Sidwell and realtor Lucas Burger. Daphne minister Clyde Jones ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination, meaning no Democratic ballots were available in the primary. The candidate with the most votes wins the nomination outright — no runoff.

How the special election came about

The unusual midsummer election traces back to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling in Allen v. Milligan, which allowed Alabama to discard a court-ordered congressional map and adopt a different one that federal judges had previously deemed unconstitutional in 2023. Because the map changed after ballots had already been cast in the May primary, the state voided those votes and called a special election, sending voters back to the polls in August.

Mills himself is a transplant to the district. A retired Navy pilot who previously lived in Florida, he ran unsuccessfully in 2025 for the congressional seat held by former Rep. Matt Gaetz before relocating to Seminole, just across the Florida line in Baldwin County. He says his career as a crisis manager is what qualifies him for Congress.

Where he stands

On the issue of data centers, which have generated controversy in communities across the district as large technology facilities are proposed in places like Calvert and Prichard, Mills said residents should not be caught by surprise about impending developments, and as a congressman he would work to involve constituents in the planning process. He said we as a whole should get together and fight back.

Mills said he is completely against charging motorists a toll to use the I-10 Mobile River Bridge, the long-planned crossing over the Mobile River, and argued all of the project’s funding should be secured before ground is broken. He said he doesn’t think you should put the burdens on the backs of the people, especially on an interstate.

On the 21 million tons of coal ash buried by Alabama Power along the Mobile River at Plant Barry, Mills said he does not know the details but offered a clear principle: the person creating the problem is the one who should clean it up, not local taxpayers. He said if you’re creating the problem, you need to take care of the problem.

The money race

Mills entered the final stretch of the campaign as a clear underdog in fundraising. Campaign finance reports from the Federal Election Commission filed as of July 22 showed Mills with more than $18,000 in total contributions — roughly $16,500 of which were personal loans — and spending of more than $15,000.

By contrast, front-runner Jerry Carl reported $1.16 million in contributions and more than $865,000 spent, with no personal loans. Austin Sidwell reported more than $199,000 in his campaign account, including about $129,000 in personal loans, with expenditures of more than $194,000. Lucas Burger had no campaign registered with the FEC at all.

A self-described outsider

Mills has leaned into his status as a political outsider rather than apologizing for it.

He said he is not a polished politician nor does he ever want to be one. He said if you want a patriot who will stand for the Constitution and knows what their oath of office really is, then you need to vote for John Mills.

He pledged, if elected, to stand in support of the Constitution, his fellow veterans and South Alabama — the three themes that have defined a campaign built on a shoestring budget and a military resume rather than a large donor network.

Related coverage from South AL News

• John Mills Frames AL-1 Campaign Around the Constitution and Veterans
• Jerry Carl's AL-1 Comeback: Experience, Affordability and a Bid to Win Back His Old Seat
• Jerry Carl Storms Back, Wins 1st District GOP Primary With About 76 Percent of the Vote
• Jones Challenges Carl to Debate as AL-1 General Election Takes Shape