Q&A: Democrat 'Big' John Underwood Secures Party Nomination For House District 16 Race

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Retired police officer and longtime Fayette County Commissioner "Big" John Underwood is the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for the Jan. 9, 2024 special election to fill the vacant House District 16 seat in the Alabama House of Representatives.

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As Patch previously reported, six Republicans qualified by the deadline on Tuesday to appear on the Sept. 26 GOP Primary ballot to fill the seat vacated by former Republican state Rep. Kyle South, of Fayette.

South stepped down at the end of the last regular legislative session to become the next president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama. House District 16 covers parts of Fayette, Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties.

The winner of the Jan. 9 General Election will serve out the remainder of South's unexpired term, which will be up for election again in November 2026.

Ahead of the special election primary this fall, Patch caught up with Underwood to hear about his campaign platform and inform voters about where he stands as the presumptive Democratic nominee for the General Election.

Stay tuned to Tuscaloosa Patch for similar Q&A profiles with the six Republican candidates vying for the party nomination in the weeks to come!

"Big" John Underwood

Biographical information

Age: 60

Professional experience: Worked in law enforcement for 27 years and has served as a county commissioner for 24 years.

Education: Graduated from Holt High School in 1981 and attended Brewer State Junior College, now Bevill State Community College.

Q: Why did you decide to run for office?

"I saw a need. I can't speak for what you need in Tuscaloosa but I know what we need in Fayette County. We have got to have a better infrastructure and better jobs for our kids here. We are constantly losing revenue going to other places. If you lose population, you're losing money so we've got to figure out some kind of way to bring jobs to Fayette County that are going to sustain and keep our young people here."

Q: What, in your view, makes you qualified to serve?

"I've been in the streets. I've seen what we need. I've seen Fayette County grow and I've seen it on the downturn. I've been there and I feel I'm the right person to bring it back."

Q: What is the biggest individual issue facing House District 16?

"Part of it is broadband internet. In Fayette County we are dealing with part of that now. And jobs, sustainable jobs. Don't get me wrong I'm not putting down any types of jobs, but at the end of the day, when you have to pay the light bills, phone bills, gas, rent, we need jobs that are going to maintain that. That's what we've got to have. We've got to have things in these towns that will help our young people. Tuscaloosa has it, but these are things that Fayette needs."

Q: What will be the first thing you will do once in office?

"The first thing I'd like to do is start looking at companies and businesses to come to Fayette County, we've got to have it. We've got to have a partnership and get on the same page. We're moving in so many directions and not accomplishing too much of anything. We've got to get on the same page about projects that will help House District 16."

Q: What is something about House District 16 that you are proud of?

"One thing I'm really proud of is something Kyle South started with our roads and I plan to continue what he was doing. He started this so we could bring businesses here and we need to keep working on it. I'm proud of that to the fact that we've started this, we've just got to continue what we're doing. We can't let it fall by the wayside."

Q: What is the most common concern you’ve heard from constituents on the campaign trail?

"Some of the problems is, at least with the people I've talked to so far, is law enforcement, school resources officers and training for law enforcement and pay. In smaller towns, they are losing officers to these bigger cities and you've got to have protection in your small towns as well as your large. It's a problem and as a law enforcement officer, I see it. And what you don't want to do, you don't want to just hire just be hiring. You want to hire qualified people. This isn't a job, it's a calling. We have got to do something to help our small towns to maintain the officers they have because we're losing them."

Q: If elected, how will you approach working with the local legislative delegation?

"The way you've got to work with them is to start a conversation on these things we need, because you can't do it by yourself. But we've got to start having a conversation on the things House District 16 needs — what my neighbors beside need. We're all pretty much after the same thing in a sense, to make sure we do what's right. And sometime what one person needs is what I need, but we need to start having these conversations on how we're going to help each other."

Q: How do you plan to work with the municipalities and different governmental bodies in House District 16?

"I'd like to sit down and talk, meet them and work out some things in our districts we need to be working on ... all of us. We've all got to be on the same team. Tuscaloosa may be different from Jefferson County and Jefferson County may be different from Fayette County. But in common session, we can work on these things. I don't believe in lying to people and telling people things that I know aren't going to happen."

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