Alabama House of Representatives District 68 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Alabama, 2022

---

On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Governor • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal

This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Alabama House of Representatives District 68 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Alabama House of Representatives District 68

Incumbent Thomas Jackson defeated Fred Kelley in the general election for Alabama House of Representatives District 68 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Thomas Jackson (D)	51.5	9,537
		Fred Kelley (R)	48.5	8,981
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	10

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,528
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Fred Kelley (R)

District 68 is losing jobs snd population . We need a promoter and that is what I do best.

We need a Republican with conservative views and love for Alabama to be representing District 68

We need a Representative who will work. I am a former truck driver and pipe fitter. I know how to work.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Fred Kelley (R)

I have chosen to run as a Republican because of the long-standing views held dearly by the Republican Party. I believe in the rights of the unborn child, lower taxes, less government and conversative views. I believe in our second amendment right to keep and bear arms and in “Constitutional Carry”.

   I believe in Alabama’s Forrest Industry and all it means to our state’s economy.  Alabama's forest industry is one of our greatest renewal natural resources.  
    I do not however believe the state has the right to tell its citizens you have to wear a mask or get a vaccine if you do not wish to. 

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Fred Kelley (R)

I look up to former President George W. Bush. I believe in his leadership, honesty and respect for our country. So much that when I was asked by Congressman Jo Bonner what did I want to do after raising one million dollars for the American Cancer Society? I said, “I would like to meet President Bush". Later that year I got to meet the President in the Oval Office.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Fred Kelley (R)

I believe that my trusted and tested honesty over my life will help me greatly in being a successful legislator. So many times, we all have heard people say that politicians are dishonest or double talkers. I cannot be that way. On my father's death bed, he told me the only real thing he was leaving me was the Kelley name. He said it is a good name and you will understand one day what I'm talking about.

    Today, I completely understand.  I have kept that name good with no marks.  I am pleased to report that I have no criminal record of any kind.  I do not drink, smoke or use drugs.  I have held a safety sensitive job that required random drug test for over 30 years.  I have never failed a one and still hold that job today. 
   I have stood the test of time and will pass on that name to my daughter who has pledged to do the same.

Officeholders need the quality of honesty. With honesty you get respect and with respect you get trust.

You can believe that when I tell you something, trust that it will be the truth.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Fred Kelley (R)

When I first qualified to be an elected official, I thought that this is my time, my turn to do something great for Alabama. While visions of grander are something we all share, that is not the responsibility of an elected official.

    In my opinion the core responsibility of any elected official is to work for the people who elected them.  You have to listen and learn their concerns and problems and then do something.  You have to act.  You will have to use your skills to communicate and work with other elected officials.  l like what poet John Donne said, "No man is an island”.  

The responsibility depends on working with other officials to get the job done for Alabama.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Fred Kelley (R)

I remember for assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963 . I was seven years old. This was an especially tragic event in my families life as it was for all American's. My parents loved President Kennedy so much they named me so that my initials would be J.F.K. for James Fred Kelley.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Fred Kelley (R)

My very first job was driving a school bus my senior year at Thomasville High School. I was glad that my principal had enough confidence in me to trust those kids to me every day. I drove that bus my entire senior year.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Fred Kelley (R)

The last song that got stuck in my head is Bon Jovi's "livin' on a Prayer". I say that in the present tense because it is still stuck in my head. I know that song is a rock anthem, but it is the words that have stuck with me. Listen to the words, "Together we can make it, with Love we're Livin on a Prayer". It just makes sense, enjoy life and the love of your family. With that, I believe life is better when your "Livin on a Prayer".

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Fred Kelley (R)

The relationship between the governor and the state legislature should to an open, honest relationship which shows respect and professionalism for each other. We all know that the three branches of government act as a check and balance system with no one branch being able to work without the other. Therefore, it seems absolutely necessary and prudent that each branch of government work together in a nonpartisan way when policies are on the table that could affect every citizen of Alabama.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Fred Kelley (R)

Absolutely not. I say that because I have no previous experience in politics and have never before run for a political office. What each person brings to the table is their life's experiences. Each member of the state legislature brings something different. That difference should have been influenced by many years of living in the state district that the legislator represents. Some will have urban life experiences while I have more rural experiences by my growing up on a farm. When these new legislators are brought together, they will have the ability to solve problems from a wide viewpoint.

     I am involved in continuing my education and have completed Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of South Alabama.  What you learn in this course is that to find an answer to a particular problem you might need a math major, a science major and you would definitely need input from people actually living in the community that will be affected by the problem.  

I This is how you solve problems. I believe in this system and look forward to using all of my skills to help solve problems in Alabama.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Fred Kelley (R)

While I do not always wish to compromise, I can tell you as a father, husband and businessman that you will be compromising on some issues.

    Like the fictional character Atticus Finch, the famous lawyer from "To Kill a Mockingbird" said to Scout, "Scout, do you know what it means to compromise"?

Now is compromise desirable for policymaking? Yes, you have to remember as a legislative representative I will be voting on issues that will affect all of Alabama. So, there will be times for the greater good that compromise will be the best choice to get things done for my District 68 and for all of Alabama.

See also

More about these elections:

• Alabama House of Representatives elections, 2022

Select a district below to read responses from candidates in those races:

District 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11District 12District 13District 14District 15District 16District 17District 18District 19District 20District 21District 22District 23District 24District 25District 26District 27District 28District 29District 30District 31District 32District 33District 34District 35District 36District 37District 38District 39District 40District 41District 42District 43District 44District 45District 46District 47District 48District 49District 50District 51District 52District 53District 54District 55District 56District 57District 58District 59District 60District 61District 62District 63District 64District 65District 66District 67District 68District 69District 70District 71District 72District 73District 74District 75District 76District 77District 78District 79District 80District 81District 82District 83District 84District 85District 86District 87District 88District 89District 90District 91District 92District 93District 94District 95District 96District 97District 98District 99District 100District 101District 102District 103District 104District 105Submit