Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, the Democratic candidate for Alabama governor, held a town hall at The University of Alabama on Monday, discussing health care, education and economic development ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
The event, held in North Lawn Hall, was co-hosted by the Kappa Alpha and Theta Alpha Lambda chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and UA College Democrats. Jones said it was his 20th town hall since July 1.
Stephen Farmer III, president of the Kappa Alpha Chapter, said the event aimed to promote voter registration and civic engagement. Farmer said the fraternity is nonpartisan and invited both political parties to participate.
Jones began by discussing his campaign’s focus on increasing public engagement, saying he takes feedback from town halls and incorporates it into his campaign.
During a moderated discussion, Jones addressed Alabama’s health care system, calling for Medicaid expansion to support rural hospitals and improve access to medical services.
“We’re going to have to expand Medicaid,” Jones said.
Jones proposed redirecting some state economic development funding toward small businesses and entrepreneurs. He said keeping college graduates in Alabama would require improving health care and quality of life, rather than focusing solely on job opportunities.
Jones also discussed temporarily suspending the state gas tax during price spikes and eliminating the state sales tax on groceries.
“We can suspend that gas tax for a period. Wait for this stupid war to be over,” Jones said.
Audience members later questioned Jones about public education, taxes, federal spending, veterans’ services and Alabama’s prison system.
When asked about the CHOOSE Act, which provides eligible families with state funding for private education and other educational expenses, Jones said he supported phasing out its private-school component without removing students already participating in the program.
Tim Polkovnichenko, a junior majoring in computer science, questioned Jones about federal aid to Israel, asking whether money spent overseas could instead support education and working-class families in Alabama.
“I think there’s so much money that we’re spending on a genocide in the Middle East that we can be spending on bettering the lives of working-class people in Alabama,” Polkovnichenko said. “It’s very sad that we’re spending so much money bombing children in Gaza.”
Jones said that decisions about federal spending fall outside a governor’s authority and are determined by Congress.
“The answer to the question is I can’t really do much about that,” Jones said.
Afterward, Polkovnichenko said he was dissatisfied with Jones’s response.
“I think that was the biggest deflection of the night,” Polkovnichenko said.
Carden Johnston, a former pediatrician who grew up in Alabama, said he moved to Seattle because he was frustrated with the state’s political direction.
Johnston said he is campaigning for Jones and will move back to Alabama if Jones is elected.
“Doug Jones brings hope to the people of Alabama,” Johnston said. “When that happens, things will change nationally because they’ll see that Alabama can make a change, and the other places will make a change as well.”
Jones concluded the town hall by encouraging attendees to vote in the upcoming election, regardless of their political affiliation or preferred candidate.
“You may not want to vote for me after tonight. That’s okay. Vote,” Jones said. “Get engaged. Get your friends and family and neighbors engaged.”
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