4 Republicans vie for Senate District 30 seat

May 31--Four candidates are seeking the open state Senate District 30 seat in Tuesday's Republican primary.

The seat became open when freshman incumbent Bryan Taylor decided not to seek re-election. The candidates are: Clyde Chambliss Jr., an engineer from Prattville; Harris Garner, an electrical contractor from Millbrook; Bill Harris, and insurance agent from the Autauga County community of Deatsville; and Suzelle Josey, an insurance agent from the Autauga County community of Pine Level.

The district includes all of Autauga and Coosa counties and portions of Elmore, Chilton and Tallapoosa counties.

Chambliss said his three terms serving on the Autauga County Commission, where he served as chairman the last two terms, and his service on the Prattville City Council show how he would vote in the upper chamber. He is serving his first term on the council, representing District 5.

"Fiscal management, conservative fiscal management, is really why I got into the state Senate race," he said. "When I was on the commission, we built a new metro jail, a new probate judge's office, started paving dirt roads and the county had a budget surplus of $13 million at the end of my third term.

"On the council, I have supported measures to return Prattville to a sound financial foundation. A lot of people have worked very hard, and the city is meeting its obligations and is putting money into its reserves. I'm very proud to be a part of that effort."

This is Garner's first foray into politics. He owns and operates an electrical contracting business, and he said that experience as a small-business owner will serve him well in the Senate.

"Small business is the backbone of the state's economy," he said. "We need to help those in small business grow."

He said he also wants to see an emphasis placed on vocational training.

"All of our problems revolve around the budgets," he said. "We have too many unproductive citizens. We are graduating too many students out of high school that aren't career ready. We have to change that. Vocational training will provide people with good-paying jobs. It helps in two ways. It gets people off public assistance, and it allows young people to become productive, taxpaying citizens."

Harris said 31 years of military experience have prepared him to do good work in the Senate. He holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard.

"I got into the race because I looked at the other candidates running and didn't see a true fiscal or social conservative," he said. "One of the main issues this state will face is budgeting. Alabama earmarks about 74 percent of its revenue for education, while other states earmark about 25 percent.

"A properly funded education system is vital for the future of the state. We need to have a budget process, both for the general fund and education, that meets the demands of the agencies served by those budgets."

Josey said the federal government needs to be curtailed in its drive to take away freedoms.

"There is a campaign by the federal government to take away our guns through attacks on our Second Amendment rights," she said. "We need to protect business, large and small, from heavy regulations and a heavy tax burden. And we need to educate our children the way we feel they should be educated. As a parent, I oppose Common Core and feel we need to have a strong push back on the influence Washington, D.C., has in our local schools.

"The state Senate needs a change in perspective. We have no Republican women serving in the Senate. I'm not saying ours is the best voice, but it is a missing voice."

The winner of the GOP race likely will represent the district. There are no Democratic or independent candidates who have qualified to run.

Clyde Chambliss Jr.

Age: 45

Occupation: Civil engineer; operates engineering firm with his wife

Family: Wife, Tara; three daughters

Education: Degree in civil engineering from the University of Alabama.

Prior political experience: Currently representing District 5 on the Prattville City Council; served three terms on the Autauga County Commission, as chairman his last two terms

Harris Garner

Age: 50

Occupation: Owns and operates electrical contracting business

Family: Wife,Cathy; four children

Education: Associate of science degree from Central Alabama Community College

Prior political experience:None

Bill Harris

Age: 49

Occupation:Insurance agent; serves with the Alabama Army National Guard, holding the rank of lieutenant colonel

Family:Wife, Nikki; two sons

Education: Bachelor of science in business from Troy University and associate of science degree from Alexander City State Junior College

Prior political experience:Made an unsuccessful bid for Elmore County probate judge in 2000 and an unsuccessful bid for House District 88 in 2008

Suzelle Josey

Age:50

Occupation:Insurance agent

Family:Husband, Pace; three children and three grandchildren

Education:Bachelor of science degree in political science from Troy University

Prior political experience:Made an unsuccessful bid in 2012 for the Autauga County Commission District 4 seat

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