On Dec. 9, the Jackson County Democrat Club held its monthly meeting at the Scottsboro Public Library. Andrew Sneed spoke at the meeting about his decision to run for Congress in Alabama’s 5th Congressional District against Dale Strong.
Sneed said he was born and raised in Huntsville, and his grandmother grew up in Stevenson. He said growing up in Alabama’s 5th Congressional District helped shape who he was. He started out in acting but later launched a restaurant business. He later found out he excelled in plumbing and started a company, Whole Home Solutions, which he owns and manages today.
Sneed said he valued his employees and made sure they had paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid maternity and paternity leave, and insurance paid in full after a year of employment. He said he doesn’t pay for advertising and receives work through word of mouth. Sneed said his work background qualified him to run for office.
Sneed said Joe Biden was as responsible for his running for office as Donald Trump. He said he thought Biden sent the wrong message when he ran for office and that power needed to let go of power. Sneed said his choice to run was about institutional politicians who weren’t working for the people anymore.
Sneed said he was working with other candidates to start a movement called the BAC, or Balance Accountability Candidates. He discussed a five-point candidate pledge that included term limits for Congress, getting rid of Citizens United, no stock trading for Congress, stopping the pipeline from Congress to case management, and an enforceable code of ethics for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sneed said he planned to open an election office in Scottsboro and encouraged those in attendance to help with the campaign.
“I am not going to be outworked. I understand what we need to do to win,” Sneed said. “I understand that we all need to work together to do it.”
An audience member said term limits were a deal-breaker for him. Sneed said people would argue seniority was key to leadership, but in his own company, he trained all of his employees to be able to do his job.
“You should always be teaching your replacement. That’s real leadership,” Sneed said.
Sneed said it was important for Democrats to meet people where they are and not shame them for their beliefs. He said it was important to listen to what people want. Sneed said he believed Democrats botched border enforcement and believed Democrats lost the election because of it.
“We have to go back to mutual respect,” Sneed said.
The Jackson County Democrat Club will meet again Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Scottsboro Public Library. Candace Duvielh will be the guest speaker for the meeting. The public is welcome to attend.