Like the title says, I’m a 25 year old Auburn grad (war eagle!) who won the June 5th primary to become the Democratic nominee for U.S. House of Representatives in Alabama’s 4th Congressional District. In 2016, AL-4 voted for Trump by over 80% -- the highest percentage in the country. My opponent, Robert Aderholt, ran unopposed in 3 out of the last 4 elections. Democracy only works if voters have a choice. I intend to give them one. We’re the epicenter of the opioid crisis (166 prescriptions/100 people), but Aderholt is busy taking money from Pharma while promising that Trump’s economic policy will “fix it.” His most recent legislation would make it harder for same-sex couples to adopt, which both discriminates against the LGBT community AND keeps children from finding safe and loving homes. The people of Alabama deserve a congressman who will work for people, not lobbyists and corporations.

My priorities:

  • Affordable healthcare
  • Strong and safe public schools (including tuition-free community college)
  • Criminal justice reform
  • Voting rights protection
  • Job creation via infrastructure investment

Ask me about my positions, the Trump-Auman voters I meet every day, and/or my love for Star Trek.  I’ll be here taking questions all morning. AMA.

Proof

Edit: Signing off for now, but I'll back to answer questions throughout the day as I am able. For now, go to the website. If you agree with our message, consider donating here.

Comments: 3057 • Responses: 27  • Date: 

meganlaughing807 karma

I’m an AL-4 voter. For the primaries I was one of 4 people to request a democratic ballot in my entire precinct, but I know bright young minds such as yours can change that number. I am working to get people to your town hall in Lamar County. What points in your plans, have you had the most success with in this area, in speaking to the undecided, largely conservative, voters? What would you recommend I convey to the people of my area to have them consider you as a voice who will work for them?

Auman4Alabama482 karma

Hi! I was in Vernon just last night. Voters in counties like Lamar, Fayette, and Marion are still reeling from the decline of the textile industry and have faced the possibility of the hospitals nearest them closing. They’re also some of the fastest to say that they haven’t seen Aderholt and don’t know anything that he’s done for them. My response to that is simple: I’m here now and I’ll be here after I’m elected.

Something conservative voters in particular should know is how I plan to work with Republicans and the president. Infrastructure and job creation are a great example. People are really concerned about long term gainful employment in rural areas like District 4, and they have really responded well to my ideas about increasing our federal investment in infrastructure to create jobs. Currently the states are left to cover about 80% of all infrastructure costs. When they have to balance their budgets at the end of the fiscal year, too often their infrastructure projects are put on the backburner. Congress should prioritize infrastructure and increase its investment to alleviate some of the burden from the states.

Also, infrastructure means more than roads, bridges, and highways. It means universal broadband and utilities also. Infrastructure is one of those fields where there is always work to be done, and if we can create jobs there then we can create the types of jobs that will remain even through economic recessions.

mynameisethan182436 karma

In 2016, AL-4 voted for Trump by over 80% -- the highest percentage in the country. My opponent, Robert Aderholt, ran unopposed in 3 out of the last 4 elections. Democracy only works if voters have a choice.

I have a multi-part question related to the above quote.

You state that 80% of your district voted for Trump - this, to me, indicates some type of ideological consistency among the area. How do you intend to sway voters to your cause? Have you seen any success so far in this area?

Also, if your opponent ran unopposed for so long - do you think there is a particular reason for that? Does the Democratic party not see the value of expending resources in an area where 80% of the electorate is voting in such a way?

And finally, to wrap thing up, how did you gather funding for your campaign? Small donors exclusively?

Auman4Alabama569 karma

The 80%+ turnout is mostly a result of a low Democratic turnout in 2016 and a very high number of voters registering to vote solely so they could vote for Trump. I meet this later category of voters every day. They are not Republicans, they are voters who feel left behind and are ready to see a change, no matter what party the change candidate is from. I've had a lot of success here. Being a political outsider is a strength in an area as anti-establishment as this one.

One reason he hasn't had a challenger is that the Democratic Party of Alabama spends almost no resources recruiting candidates or building a bench. Many winnable seats have been left of the table, unfortunately. Even now, with a strong slate of candidates and a great number of women running, Democratic candidates in Alabama are running largely without the help of a state party.

We are relying mostly on small donations. As of today we have only taken money from one PAC and it was a $500 donation.

im_idiota410 karma

Have you ever had a job? What did you do, and for how long?

Auman4Alabama64 karma

To pay my way through college I was a chess coach at The Knight School, teaching chess to grade school students. I served as a youth minister, and have worked in special needs ministry for many years. Before leaving to run for Congress, I managed the Conference Center at Camp McDowell, the largest Camp and Conference Center in the Episcopal Church.

GDLKJesus300 karma

Can you elaborate on "prison reform"? That phrase itself has little meaning. Specifically what actions would you take to alter the landscapes of prisons in the district?

Auman4Alabama271 karma

“Prison reform” is a part of a larger, broken system. The first thing I want to say is that I will act according to what is best for the people, unlike my opponent, who takes $$ from for-profit corrections corporations.

To reform an extremely costly and broken criminal justice system, we need to focus on keeping people out of jail and prison. I do not support mandatory minimums. I believe that too many people end up stuck in the criminal justice system because they were unable to make bond. Both of these problems can be addressed by Congress. I will work together with states to ensure that prisons are safe places for those who end up there, with a focus on rehabilitation and reintegration rather than just punishment. We need to lower recidivism rates and encourage people to build their lives after they’ve served their time.

TexasKru277 karma

How do you plan to make healthcare affordable?

Auman4Alabama165 karma

Alabama declined to expand Medicaid under the ACA, a decision that costs us billions of dollars, threatens our rural hospitals, and leaves more than 200,000 Alabamians without health insurance.

Sen. Jones recently introduced the Smart Choices Act, a bill that would require the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to conduct yearly studies that quantify the amount of money lost by states that failed to expand. He is also cosponsoring the States Achieve Medicaid Expansion (SAME) Act, which would allow states like Alabama to receive the same level of federal funds as those that expanded immediately after ACA passed.

In office, I will support the expansion of Medicaid and CHIP programs that allow people access to preventative care.

I will fight to eliminate the reductions in DSH payments that were meant to fund the Medicaid expansion (originally a mandate). This would save hospitals in rural areas and reduce the economic burden of traveling many miles for basic or emergency healthcare services.

Healthcare providers need to be required to provide quotes on their healthcare services so that consumers (patients) can seek out the best option for the best cost. This would drive down costs without harming quality of service.

Federal government needs to be able to negotiate - read, regulate - the price of prescription drugs and healthcare services. Healthcare access should be based on need, not affordability. Government regulations in healthcare should ensure equity of access without sacrificing safety.

APurrSun252 karma

Stance on guns?

Auman4Alabama-284 karma

Universal background checks. Bans on tools that do nothing for personal protection or hunting but make it easier to kill more people in a shorter amount of time. Close loopholes that allow domestic abusers to buy weapons. Keep guns out of the hands of administrators and teachers. Money out of politics. For more details, go to the website and read my priorities page.

KimPeek230 karma

Should members of Congress have term limits?

Auman4Alabama176 karma

No. Term limits sound great until you think about the increasing role lobbyists and those who can afford them will play in our government. I get the intent, but I think the unintended consequences would leave us worse off. Ending partisan redistricting and removing obstacles to the ballot box are the types of reforms here I want to work toward.

meatboat2tunatown142 karma

Do you think that it is racist to demand that voters display a state-issued identification card when voting?

Auman4Alabama-129 karma

The result is certainly racist. Voter-ID laws disproportionately affect minorities and people of color, which makes it inherently discriminatory. In Alabama, purportedly in response to a budget crisis, we saw drivers license offices close across the state. These closures were concentrated in rural and majority black counties. We need to defend the VRA to protect voting rights of all citizens.

meatboat2tunatown96 karma

Can you explain in greater detail how and to what end your opponent is 'taking money from big pharma' and how that may be preventing or exacerbating the opioid crisis?

Auman4Alabama159 karma

As soon as he was allowed to take money from corporate PACs, he went haywire. In this cycle, 70% of his fundraising has been fro PACs. He has received more than $135,000 from various pharmaceutical manufacturers, including ENDO, who profit financially from the opioid crisis. Because these groups fund his campaign, he has little incentive to act. We have seen this in action just a few weeks ago when he tried to shift the focus away from the real issue so he could praise the President's economic policies and tried to take credit for a slate of appropriations bills that throw money at the problem but do little to solve it. We need someone who is bold and independent on this issue if we want to solve the crisis.

x86_100101053 karma

appropriations bills that throw money at the problem but do little to solve it

So do you have a proposition on possible solutions?

Auman4Alabama130 karma

I do! We have to expand prescription monitoring nationally, so that folks in Mississippi and Georgia aren’t able to cross state lines and do what's called "doctor shopping." We need to open and support treatment centers. We need to punish dealers, not users, and sometimes dealers are unscrupulously overprescribing doctors. We have to reform our drug laws and keep people who are suffering from a serious medical issue out of a place where addiction only becomes more of a problem, and where you have fewer options once you’re out.

For more information, go here:https://www.aumanforcongress.com/priorities

[deleted]-7 karma

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Auman4Alabama15 karma

I do! We have to expand prescription monitoring nationally, so that folks in Mississippi and Georgia aren’t able to cross state lines and do what's called "doctor shopping." We need to open and support treatment centers. We need to punish dealers, not users, and sometimes dealers are unscrupulously overprescribing doctors. We have to reform our drug laws and keep people who are suffering from a serious medical issue out of a place where addiction only becomes more of a problem, and where you have fewer options once you’re out.

For more information, go here:https://www.aumanforcongress.com/priorities

Cod3x1764 karma

What is your biggest hurdle running for Congress?

Auman4Alabama239 karma

The biggest? I’m supposed to say money, but really it’s how disillusioned voters are after not being heard for so long. It’s hard to convince someone that their vote really does matter when the establishments of both parties have shown them for so long that they don’t care.

bafomdaddad64 karma

The last time a Democrat, Dan Bowman, ran in this district, he lost with 26% of the vote. Would you consider it a victory if you ended with 35-40% of the vote?

Auman4Alabama139 karma

An electoral victory is 50%+1.

I see your point, but I think it’s important to know that Boman was a party switcher (GOP to Dem) and barely campaigned. While Aderholt had a challenger that year, he wasn’t a serious one. I think it’s telling that someone who didn’t campaign and wasn’t popular in the district walked away with a quarter of the vote. We’re running a real campaign.

BestSlowbroEU57 karma

What do you think of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?

Auman4Alabama92 karma

The ongoing debate within the Democratic Party is healthy and we’ve avoided it (to our own detriment) for too long. She and I will represent very different districts and will serve people facing different obstacles, but I wish her the best.

DankBonkripper8747 karma

What is your favorite Star Trek series to date?

Edit: I get the downvotes, I really do. It’s not a serious question related to important policy that people want to know. However, it was invited to ask, I was legitimately curious, so I asked.

Auman4Alabama41 karma

I struggle with this question every day. OS is great because there is simply no trio like Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. NextGen probably receives the "best all around" award, and Picard is an incredible role model for any elected official to emulate. Deep Space Nine is highly underrated; taking the ways of Starfleet into a conflict not their own leads to some fascinating ethical and philosophical encounters. Everyone can benefit from drudging through Deep Space Nine, even if it's a few seasons longer than necessary.

Diamante2445 karma

Tuition free community college? Realistically speaking, can our country afford that?

Auman4Alabama31 karma

Yes. What it can’t afford is another generation of people taking out loans to pay for college and career training, having to put off major purchases due to debt, participating in the economy less, and defaulting on student loans.

Every state has a different system for managing its two-year colleges, but it can be done and is being done, including in states neighboring mine.

laineDdednaHdeR40 karma

Do you see the abolishment of Net Neutrality a betrayal of the American public? And is it something you feel you could help to change?

Auman4Alabama120 karma

Yes and yes. I'd sponsor legislation to reinstitute Net Neutrality and I would use the same principle I'll use in all other decisions -- people first. My opponent has taken over $100,000 from the Telecom industry. This used to be a bipartisan issue. It's funny how things change when money starts changing hands.

Briick0335 karma

What do you think about your very gerrymandered district?

Auman4Alabama108 karma

I love my district. I've lived here all of my life except for my years in Auburn. What do I think about partisan gerrymandering? It's wrong and should be ruled unconstitutional.

jaytehman31 karma

First, ROLL TIDE!

Second, what is your opinion on the most recent Steel and Aluminum Tariffs, and how would you grow Automotive Manufacturing in the state of Alabama?

Auman4Alabama50 karma

Even Republicans who know what’s going on in Alabama are opposed to tariffs, including Governor Kay Ivey and Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield.

As far as the automotive industry goes, I’d start by supporting the backbone of the industry--the worker. We need to strengthen trade schools and community colleges, we need to make it easier to get workforce development training without going into debt, and we need to start hiring more Alabamians to do these jobs instead of recruiting across state lines.

I also think that it’s important to remember that bringing industry to a place requires more than empty factories and low costs. We can recruit more manufacturing to fill the vast empty industrial space we have here by improving our infrastructure, keeping our hospitals open, and improving education, so that people want to move here and raise their children in Alabama.

micaela_rc25 karma

What’s the most absurd interaction you’ve had with someone who opposes your views?

How does your family feel about your running? Are any of them extremely conservative?

What’s your stance on legalizing marijuana?

Auman4Alabama78 karma

I completely support the legalization of medical marijuana and the decriminalization of possession and use of marijuana. Full legalization of recreational marijuana use should be left up to the voters.

Auman4Alabama54 karma

I called my opponent's father to invite him to an event I was having. He laughed and hung up the phone.

Carkeyz-64 karma

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Auman4Alabama48 karma

I completely support the legalization of medical marijuana and the decriminalization of possession and use of marijuana. Full legalization of recreational marijuana use should be left up to the voters.

sledge0722 karma

I don’t think most republicans like Alabama republicans. As a republican neighbor from Georgia, are you planning to go across the aisle and work with your red counterparts to do what’s best for the people of Alabama? Doug Jones was very successful running under that and has so far been very good to his word thus far. Although I’m not a democrat, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor.

Auman4Alabama10 karma

Yes, I absolutely am. I’m going to meet people where they are and keep my word. Thank you for the kind words!

ExPatriot014 karma

Mr. Auman,

I am not a citizen of Alabama, but the opiod crisis took my mother to an early grave.

She died when I was 25, the same age you are now, in 2015.

She is never coming back. She died at 58 years old, and never will meet any grandkids. Nor will they know her.

Why? Because she trusted her doctor.

I hope you come up with a good solution to push and win this race. But even if you don't, that you give others a good platform to run on. This is the start of a long fight that we need to fight for decades. You can lose this race 5 times, and it will only be 1/5th of the fight.

Good luck, brother. Good luck to you. This battle will always be worth it.

Auman4Alabama10 karma

Thank you for sharing your story, and I am very sorry about the loss of your mother.

You’re right about the role doctors who overprescribe have had in this crisis. We focus too much on policing the addicted and spend too little time on those who irresponsibly give it out.

Thank you for your good wishes. Take care.

taylorhschweighardt11 karma

Greetings from Florence! I'm a Colbert Heights grad from 2008, and my parents still live in Tuscumbia. My dad is Democratic because of his Teamster status, so I will definitely mention you to him.

Here's my question: Out of your priorities you listed, which do you find will be the most challenging to accomplish in your area, and which might be the easiest to accomplish? It seems that progress is stagnant in our area, but I definitely see our generation taking up the mantle little by little.

Auman4Alabama25 karma

Hello! Glad to hear from a fellow Alabamian. Ensuring all people have access to high-quality healthcare is an ongoing, difficult battle. It's been politicized, unfortunately, and those who want to maintain the status-quo attack all other proposals with unfounded rhetoric. While the dream is to ensure everyone can get health care no matter their income, there are many steps between there and where we are now. It starts with eliminating the reductions in DSH payments that were meant to fund the Medicaid expansion mandate that never came to fruition. That would help save our rural hospitals that are struggling profoundly in states that chose not to expand Medicaid.

OrganicDroid-5 karma

[deleted]

Auman4Alabama-2 karma

Great question! My dog Hoss. Look me up on Facebook for a picture.

BrautanGud-20 karma

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Auman4Alabama15 karma

I’m sticking to policy and what matters to the people of my district. My opponent has little to show for his 22 years in Congress and has nothing to run on, so he invokes the President every chance he gets. I don’t have to do that.