As Democratic voters prepare to choose a nominee for Alabama’s 5th Congressional District, candidate Candice Dollar Duvieilh says her campaign is focused on practical issues affecting North Alabama families, including education, healthcare affordability and infrastructure.

Duvieilh, who advanced to the June 16 Democratic runoff election against Andrew Sneed, said her background in education, public administration and government finance has prepared her to serve in Congress.

“I am ready to go to work, both as a person who has had to work hard for everything I’ve achieved in my life and a person who is qualified to actually do the work,” Duvieilh said in an interview with 256 Today.

In the May 19 primary, Sneed received 42% of the vote, while Duvieilh received 36%. Jeremy Devito finished third with 22%, forcing a runoff because no candidate surpassed the 50% threshold required to secure the nomination outright.

Duvieilh, who has lived in North Alabama for five years, moved to Huntsville from El Paso, Texas, after her husband’s company relocated operations to the region. Her husband is a disabled veteran and machinist, and the couple has a 2-year-old daughter.

Duvieilh said her educational background includes a doctorate in educational administration, a master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in nonprofit management and a bachelor’s degree in public policy leadership. She said her professional experience includes working as a public school teacher and currently serving as a government accounting expert in the software industry.

“My career and my education has always been dedicated to gaining a deeper understanding of policy, civic engagement, community and things like that,” Duvieilh said.

When asked about the biggest challenges facing North Alabama, Duvieilh pointed to affordability concerns but said underlying issues include access to healthcare, education and infrastructure improvements needed to accommodate rapid growth.

“People are genuinely just tired of their water systems backing up because it can’t handle the growth or being stuck in the car instead of being at home with their families,” she said.

Duvieilh also emphasized the importance of federal investment in North Alabama’s aerospace, defense and technology sectors, particularly as Redstone Arsenal continues to attract new missions and agencies.

“North Alabama has always been a center for innovation, both in aerospace and defense tech,” she said. “I think the federal government always has had a big role in our industry and funding here in North Alabama.”

She said she would like to see federal funding expanded to support smaller companies and startups in addition to major defense contractors.

“I personally would like to see that funding diversified and expanded so that it’s not a dozen huge companies, but also some smaller startup businesses that are trying to break into the industry as well,” Duvieilh said.

The runoff campaign comes after what many observers viewed as a surprisingly strong showing for Duvieilh, a first-time candidate.

“We knew we were swinging for the fences,” she said. “When the results came in, I think we were all just as shocked as everybody else. But we were ready to get to work because it was obvious that the general public, the voters, the constituents were on the same page as us as far as what they’re looking for.”

Duvieilh said her campaign strategy remains largely unchanged heading into the runoff.

“I am honest, I am transparent. I am who I am, and I’m a qualified person for the job,” she said.

Looking ahead to a potential general election matchup against incumbent U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, Duvieilh acknowledged the Republican lean of Alabama’s 5th District but believes changing demographics and voter engagement could create opportunities.

“I think we saw numbers of how many voters asked for Democratic ballots that kind of confirmed what we’re looking at,” she said. “Madison and Limestone County are growing. We have new families coming here, and I think our representation is going to have to shift to kind of meet the changing demographics in the area.”

She said Democrats must work to reengage voters who have stopped participating in elections while also appealing to independent voters focused on everyday concerns.

“There are a lot of voters that have sat out of elections for a long time because they didn’t feel like they were connected to the representatives,” Duvieilh said. “Then, of course, there’s always those independent middle voters that really just want to be able to afford to live and just be left alone.”

Duvieilh also said she does not always align with the national Democratic Party and believes the party’s platform is currently evolving.

“I don’t really feel like there’s a strong platform,” she said. “I feel like the platform is kind of in a state of changing right now.”

However, she said issues such as childcare affordability, healthcare access and education remain priorities that resonate with voters across North Alabama.

The winner of the June 16 Democratic runoff will advance to face Strong, who was unopposed in the Republican primary, in the Nov. 3 general election.

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