Birmingham's House Seat 54 Features Tight Democratic Primary

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Alabama's House District 54 has been held by Democrat Patrica Todd since 2006, but when Alabama's first openly-gay legislator announced she would not seek re-election, that paved the way for an interesting race to fill her seat, which represents downtown Birmingham.

Since there is no Republican candidate for the seat, June 5's Democratic primary will determine who represents District 54, and three candidates from diverse backgrounds are each vying for the office: civil rights lawyer and Alabama Young Democrats Chairman Jerome Dees, an African-American man; Birmingham AIDS Outreach Director Neil Rafferty, an openly gay former Marine; and Birmingham environmentalist Jacqueline Gray Miller, an African-American woman.

Dees is running on a platform that includes improving the administration and funding of the state's educational systems; the creation of a "statewide Medicare for all" program; proposing a base minimum wage of $9 per hour; and massive criminal justice reform.

Rafferty's platform is based largely on the state's healthcare problems, including Medicaid expansion; reducing food deserts and fighting obesity; addressing addiction and the opioid crisis facing the community; the lack of mental health resources; and improving overall access to health care. He also has stressed the importance of affordable housing and preserving the district's communities, and is an advocate for easily-accessible veteran resource centers and mental health care alternatives outside the VA. Rafferty obtained a political victory recently when he received an endorsement from Todd.

Healthcare is also a priority in Miller's campaign, as she has developed a platform focusing on elderly care in the state, in addition to addressing education funding reform and the expansion of education services. As well, Miller - who has championed dozens of environmental causes in the state - has promised to focus on land conservation in Alabama.

Photo by Michael Seale/Patch