The Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee voted to remove accountant and Huntsville resident Anson Knowles from the primary election ballot. The move by the committee leaves the only Republican candidate remaining, Retired U.S. Army Colonel Dr. David Cole, to face Democrat Marilyn Lands in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger says the move means the District 10 race will not appear on May 24 primary election ballots.
“In a primary election if there is only one candidate from either political party, then that candidate’s name will not be on their party’s primary ballot.”
Knowles strongly disagreed with the GOP committee’s decision to remove his name from the Republican Party’s primary ballot. In a statement posted on his website, Knowles called the February 18 GOP hearing a kangaroo court.
Knowles statement as follows:
“The evidence provided against Anson before and during the hearing included both factual and hearsay elements. The Anson Knowles for Alabama House District 10 campaign totally disagrees with the outcome of the hearing. It was a kangaroo court. Some media reports about the ALGOP decision reference Anson’s prior Libertarian Party activity as a cause for his removal from the ballot. It is true that starting in October of 2015, for fifteen months, Anson was the Chairman of the Libertarian Party in Madison County, Alabama. It is also true that after his time as a Libertarian Party member Anson donated to one Libertarian candidate’s campaign. Since his time as a Libertarian, Anson served as Secretary and Chairman of the Madison County Young Republican Club which is an official auxiliary organization of the Republican Party. Anson is also an at-large voting member of the Madison County Republican Executive Committee (MCREC). He gained this seat when the Republican members of MCREC voted to include him as a member.”
Anson also claims that, according to the Secretary of State voter file, Cole has never voted in an Alabama Republican primary.
Cole, a decorated military veteran, served as an Army surgeon in both Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded three Bronze Stars and an Air Medal for his service. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Arkansas State University and holds a medical doctorate from the University of Arkansas College for Medical Sciences. He currently serves as Medical Director of Occupational Health Group.
Speaking to 256 Today, Cole pointed to his years of military service, stating, “I was in the military for 22 years before I retired.”
Cole says he is focusing on getting his message and platform out to the voters.
“I am a qualified candidate for the Republican party and focusing on the November general election. I’m looking forward to getting our message out,” he adds.
State Rep. Mike Ball (R-Madison) currently holds the District 10 seat. Ball has decided not to seek reelection for the seat he has held for 20 years. House District 10 includes portions of Madison and Huntsville.
For more information on your district, election dates and polling place locations, visit Alabama Votes on the Alabama Secretary of State website.
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