Stacy Lee George enters GOP primary for Alabama Senate District 9

Corrections officer and former county commissioner Stacy Lee George has qualified as a Republican candidate for special election in Senate District 9 in north Alabama.

George, a two-time gubernatorial candidate, said in a Monday phone interview that he wants to eliminate the grocery tax and repeal the gas tax. 

“We have a surplus, in the state, so I don’t know why they didn’t go ahead and do that,” he said about repealing the grocery tax. 

He also said he wants to look into the construction of Alabama’s new prison, which will cost the state over a billion dollars. George said he’s not opposed to a new prison but wants to “pause” this specific one, citing the growing costs of the facility.

“I think that we need to look at other possibilities like getting people an education and getting them– a lot of people that are in the prison system should not be in the prison system,” he said. “They should be out paying taxes not in the prison system.”

Reps. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, and Brock Colvin, R-Albertville, are also running for the position.

Former Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield, R-Arab, resigned from the seat last week to take a job with the Business Council of Alabama. Scofield had represented the district, which includes Blount, Madison and Marshall counties, for nearly 13 years.

Gov. Kay Ivey has set a primary for Jan. 9. If necessary, the primary runoff will be Feb. 6. The general election will be Apr. 23.

The qualifying deadline for major political parties is Nov. 7. The qualifying deadline for minor parties and independent candidates will be Jan. 9.