DuBose, Shaw become first Hoover residents in Legislature

Greystone resident and Republican Susan DuBose snagged a win in her quest to represent Alabama House District 45 in Tuesday’s general election, handily defeating Libertarian Kari Mitchell Whitaker.

DuBose, after defeating incumbent Dickie Drake in the May Republican primary, picked up 12,039 votes (86%) in Tuesday’s general election, compared to 1,945 votes (14%) for Whitaker.

“I just wanted 80% or more, so I’m thrilled and very happy,” DuBose said Tuesday night after having an election watch party at her Greystone home.

DuBose now is one of the first two Hoover residents to serve in the Alabama Legislature. The other is Hoover Councilman Mike Shaw, who defeated Democrat Christian Coleman in the race for Alabama House District 47 on Tuesday.

Other winners of state legislative seats in the U.S. 280 corridor Tuesday included three incumbents: state Sen. Dan Roberts in Senate District 15, state Rep. Arnold Mooney in House District 43 and state Rep. Jim Carns in House District 47.

U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer of Hoover also won re-election for a fifth term with a victory over Libertarian Andria Chieffo in the Sixth Congressional District.

Here is more about each of those races, including comments from some of the candidates:

Alabama House District 45

DuBose said she felt like her ability to connect with people played a big part in her victory. She has been campaigning for more than a year and been able to develop relationships with a lot of people she didn’t know before — from Irondale to Chelsea and Leeds, she said.

She has tried to be available, engaged and truly interested in what people in the district have to say, and people have told her they appreciated that, she said. “I think that’s what they felt was lacking in our district,” she said.

DuBose said she’s honored and humbled to be able to represent people and ready to get to work.

Legislators elected Tuesday are scheduled to meet in Montgomery Thursday to elect leaders, and there are 25 to 30 new members in the Legislature, DuBose said.

“I’m very excited about our new freshmen coming in,” she said. “I think we’re going to form a strong freshman class. We’ve down there to work and make a difference for this state.”

DuBose said she believes voters connected with her call for greater election integrity.

“People want to know their vote counted — that their votes are secure and safe,” she said. “There’s still a lot of concern out there about election integrity.”

People also agreed with her a lot that education in Alabama needs to be improved, she said. While the schools in District 45 are in good shape, statewide only 78% of third graders are proficient in reading.

“That’s a huge problem,” DuBose said. “That’s a problem we’ve got to fix.”

Alabama House District 47

With all but one precinct counted, Mike Shaw received 8,582 votes (64%) to Christian Coleman's 4,815 votes (36%).

Shaw said his victory was bittersweet. He has loved his job on the Hoover City Council the past six years and has loved working for the residents of Hoover, and this is an opportunity to also work for residents of Vestavia Hills and parts of unincorporated Jefferson County, he said.

“It’s another opportunity to serve in a different way, and I’m just excited to get to work and take the things I’ve learned at the city level and apply them at the state level,” Shaw said.

He tried to keep his campaign as positive as possible, and he feels voters resonated with his calls for fiscal conservatism, smart government, small government and pro-business philosophies, he said.

Many voters in House District 47 also shared his thoughts about the public schools that serve the district, which are some of the top schools in the state, he said.

The state needs some innovative solutions for failing and troubled schools, but the Hoover and Vestavia Hills school districts are well-oiled machines, “and we need to make sure we don’t mess with it,” Shaw said.

Moving from Hoover city government to state government is a big step, but he’s ready to make the change, he said.

Shaw gathered Tuesday night with supporters at the Soiree Event Gallery in Hoover, entertaining guests that included state Sen. Dan Roberts, state Rep. Arnold Mooney, state Rep. David Faulkner, state rep. Jim Carns, Jefferson County commissioners Jimmie Stephens and Steve Ammons and Hoover Councilmen John Lyda, Steve McClinton and Sam Swiney.

Stephens said he thought Shaw will make a great state legislator.

Alabama House District 43

Arnold Mooney won 12,733 votes (745), compared to 3,754 votes (22%) for Prince Cleveland and 644 votes (4%) for Jason Burr, giving Mooney a third term in District 43, which stretches across north Shelby County roughly from U.S. 280 to Old Town Helena and from Oak Mountain State Park northward.

He said he was thrilled with the election results and humbled to have the opportunity to represent the people of House District 43 again. He also is thankful to be the chairman of the Shelby County legislative delegation, he said.

Mooney said Shelby County is the most conservative county in the state and ranks first in the state in household median income ($78,889), per capita income, unemployment rate, education rate, home median price and health outcomes. He is proud to represent people who share his conservative mindset, he said.

“I’m hoping we’ll see a change nationally,” he said.

One of his policy beliefs that rings true with residents of the district is that parents should be able to determine what schools are best for their children, not the government telling parents what is best for their children.

Alabama House District 48

Jim Carns captured 12,506 votes (85%) in his campaign against Libertarian Bruce Stutts, who got 2,181 votes (15%) in the district that includes parts of Greystone, Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook and north Shelby County.

Carns first served in the Legislature from 1990 to 2005, then served on the Jefferson County Commission from 2006 to 2010 and has been a state representative again since 2012.

“I am honored to serve District 48 for another term,” he said. “I have always worked hard to be the best voice for my constituents in Montgomery, and I plan to continue that effort in the next four years.“

Alabama Senate District 15

Dan Roberts won a third term in District 15 by earning 35,657 votes (86%) in his matchup against Libertarian Michael Crump, a self-described anarchist who wanted to give voters another option and decrease the size of the government. Crump received 5,761 votes (14%).

“[I am] grateful to the voters of Senate District 15 for choosing me to serve them again for another four years,” Roberts said. “It is an honor and privilege to represent Jefferson and Shelby counties in the Alabama Legislature. I look forward to working diligently to move Alabama forward in the coming years.”

U.S. House District 6

Gary Palmer received 154,058 votes (84%) in Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District, defeating Libertarian challenger Andrea Chieffo, who received 27,792 votes (15%). Palmer, whose district includes most of Hoover, was first elected in 2014 and said he wanted to work on workforce development and help students catch up academically following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sixth Congressional District covers the wealthier part of Birmingham, nearly all of Jefferson County outside Birmingham, most of Blount County, and all of Bibb, Chilton, Coosa and Shelby counties.