Democratic Senate nominee Will Boyd looks to build roads and bridges
If one can summarize Will Boyd’s message for his U.S. Senate campaign, it’s infrastructure – specifically, investing in roads, bridges, and broadband to attract more business to Alabama.
The Democratic nominee for the seat, facing a difficult struggle against Republican nominee Katie Boyd Britt, wants to build on and expand the Build Better Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, in the hopes of pulling more manufacturing jobs into Alabama.
“People aren’t going to come into Alabama until Alabama is modernized,” Boyd said in a recent interview. “Modernization of infrastructure is one of the major keys to Alabama getting on its feet and doing well.”
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It’s a vision of infrastructure that includes vehicles and internet access, as well as better access to food and nutrition services for poor school districts.
Whether that can break through in a solidly Republican state remains unknown. Through Sept. 30, Boyd, a former candidate for Congress and lieutenant governor raised and spent about $100,000 to Britt’s $8.4 million. Boyd finished September with $8,260; Britt finished with $1.8 million. Britt also has the solid backing of the Republican establishment in the state, in a year when Republicans are generally expected to do well in midterm elections.
Boyd, however, remains optimistic. He said he feels enthusiasm for the ticket, and expressed hopes that Libertarian Senate candidate John Sophocleus can draw votes away from Britt. Boyd, pastor of a church in Florence, said he is the most qualified candidate in the race.
“I’m a person who has experience,” he said. “I’m the only one who’s been an elected official in this race. I’ve sat at the local government level, listened to people, and worked with them.”
Boyd also strongly supports policies backed by President Joe Biden. He notes that the Inflation Reduction Act helped increase investments in electric battery manufacturing. Mercedes-Benz is producing electric vehicles and batteries near Tuscaloosa.
“People talk about it a lot in a negative way, but they’re really enjoying the fruits of it,” he said.
There is no question that Britt and Boyd offer different views on issues. Boyd supports abortion rights and said he would vote for a measure to codify Roe v. Wade, which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health in June. The decision allowed a 2019 Alabama law banning nearly all abortion procedures – even in cases of rape and incest – to become law. Boyd paraphrased Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in saying “when you’re in a room with a doctor and a patient, there’s just not enough room for the federal government to step in.”
Along those lines, Boyd said he would try to revive former Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama's efforts to provide a 100% match for Alabama to expand Medicaid, which Boyd said would help Alabama's health outcomes, including its high infant mortality rate.
“What we have in Alabama is people who are more concerned with pro-birth than pro-life,” he said. “Pro-birth means we’re concerned about people while they’re in the womb, but we don’t seem to show a lot of concern for people thereafter.”
Boyd also supports some gun safety measures, including improved background checks and lengthening waiting periods for purchasing guns. Though he said he said he would ultimately favor more restrictive measures, Boyd said he wanted to start out with policies that could be achievable in a divided Congress.
“Start in the middle and work your way up,” he said. “If you start with an assault weapons ban, you’re going to lose a lot of Republicans. You work toward your goal.”
Biography
Name: Will Boyd
Profession: Presiding bishop, Zion Ministries; pastor, St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Florence
Education: B.S., Engineering, University of South Carolina, 1994; M.B.A., Regis University, 2003; doctorate in Christian clinical psychology from St. James the Elder Theological Seminary, 2015; doctorate in Christian counseling from St. John the Elder Theological Seminary, 2012; doctorate in religion from Christian Bible College in 2003; and doctorate in organization and management from Capella University in 2007.
Party: Democratic
Offices held/offices sought: Democratic nominee for Alabama lt. governor, 2018; Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, 2017; Democratic nominee, Alabama 5th congressional district, 2016; City councilman, Greenville, Illinois, 2009-2011; Candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois, 2010.
Brian Lyman covers politics and state government for the Montgomery Advertiser. Contact him at 334-240-0185 or blyman@gannett.com. Updated at 10:33 a.m. to add details on Boyd's educational background and to correct affiliation of church he pastors.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama Senate race: Democrat Will Boyd looks to build roads, bridges
