By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
John Roberts hails from Hartselle, AL where he was an excellent student, part of a state champion high school baseball team, and a scrappy offensive lineman on his high school football team. What he brought to his team was the ability to see a way through the opposing line and the willingness to protect his own. That strategy in football is a way of life for John, and is something he’ll take to Washington, D.C., if elected. Now, don’t let his youth fool you. He has an undergrad degree in political science as well as a master’s in public administration from the University of Alabama. He has spent his career in business development with cities in North Alabama, and recently served as the Business Retention and Expansion Director at the Huntsville-Madison Chamber of Commerce. The result is that the economic development team with which he worked has made it possible for several businesses and industries with thousands of jobs available to become a part of the economy of North Alabama.
I asked John if people had given him grief about being “only 29.” He said, “Oh, no. They have told me they find it refreshing, and are intrigued by the fact that I am not a career politician. They are tired of people being more concerned with the next election rather than the next generation.” He believes in term limits, and if he is elected, he won’t spend the rest of his life in DC. He also brings the experience of having served in Washington as an intern on Capitol Hill, and has worked with Huntsville Mayor, Tommy Battle. John is involved in the Blackburn Institute, which is located in Tuscaloosa, and whose focus is developing leaders who can impact and improve the State of Alabama. John is also on the board of the North Alabama American Red Cross, and is on the executive team of Free 2 Teach. Free 2 Teach garners resources to teachers of Madison County.
One of the things about which John is the proudest is the co-founding of the North Alabama Home Building Academy, designed to teach every aspect of the construction industry much in the way masters in a given trade would teach apprentices in days gone by. The Academy is an eight-week school that so far has had 170 graduates since its inception in January 2020. John knows that one of the most important things for economic development that he can do is provide opportunities for alternative careers.
I know that we are all concerned with out-of-control spending on the part of the government, but when you look into the face of a member of the generation that is going to have to pay for it, it is sobering. John will be quick to tell you that the elderly politicians who believe that tax-and-spend is the way to build the economy won’t be around to see the results of their disastrous fiscal policies. That is one of the reasons he will work hard for balanced budgets. He is also passionate about growing a new generation of leadership, one that understands the Constitution and how America works.
Other issues that are near to John’s heart are protecting the preborn and making sure we step up to support those born into difficult situations. This stems from his family having fostered dozens of kids. He knows that the current southern border policies are a nightmare, and that all involved in protecting us there need the resources and technology to be able to do so. John is a hunter and a gun owner, and the 2nd Amendment will never be redefined on his watch. He understands the need for repairing and strengthening our relationship with Israel, as well as the rest of our allies. He knows that being able to protect ourselves as a nation is important to the safety of our country, and that the defense industry rooted in North Alabama must remain strong. John backs our veterans, law enforcement officers, and educators. He is careful to point out that education should be just that — education — and not indoctrination. The entrepreneur, the farmer, the seeker of the American Dream, those are the ones for whom he shall fight. And, John is fully aware that none of those responsibilities can be met if voting and election integrity is not fully restored. To all of the above-mentioned categories and concerns John says, “The American Dream is made possible by the equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. I will be a fearless fighter for the future of your American Dream.” If this is what you’re are looking for in a US Congressman, then elect John Roberts and send him to the House.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
April 6, 2024
