Jones And Tuberville Take Different Campaign Approaches In Tuscaloosa

Both parties’ gubernatorial nominees made quick stops in Tuscaloosa this week as they head toward the final full week of campaigning before the November 3 General Election.

Republican Tommy Tuberville conducted a “Meet and Greet” at The Hotel Capstone on the UA campus Wednesday night. Democrat Doug Jones held a town hall on the UA campus Monday night.

Jones used Monday night’s town hall to lay out core parts of his gubernatorial agenda and to take unscripted questions from some 300 students and local residents in attendance.

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The former Alabama U.S. senator took several swipes at the outgoing senator during the event. Jones told the crowd he has now conducted 20 town hall meetings since July 1, emphasizing that he is not afraid to address issues while Tuberville “insults” teachers, religious leaders, cities and reporters.

The former U.S. attorney pointed to a recent event in Mobile where Tuberville had a reporter removed from his meet and greet for asking an uncomfortable question about why Tuberville had not followed through on his pledge to donate his Senate salary to Alabama veterans. Tuberville reportedly told his press secretary, “Get him out of here.”

By comparison, Jones answered questions from town hall moderators and members of the audience. He told the mostly student crowd he favors expansion of Medicaid to help keep rural hospitals open, wants to shift economic emphasis to small businesses, backs improved health care and cost-of-living affordability, would suspend the gas tax during difficult economic times and would completely eliminate the grocery tax. All of those measures would require action from Alabama’s Republican supermajority legislature.

Wednesday night’s Tuberville meet and greet at The Hotel Capstone was billed as a chance for voters to “shake his hand and hear his vision for the state” informally. Media were informed that the GOP frontrunner would not be taking questions, though individual interviews could be arranged later.

While Tuberville was conducting his meet and greet in Tuscaloosa Wednesday night, Jones was in Birmingham hosting an open-ended debate using recorded statements the former Auburn football coach made earlier in the campaign. Tuberville has refused to debate Jones, a growing trend among front-running candidates across the country.