Metro Roundup: Vestavia Hills resident launches campaign for governor
Lew Burdette announced his candidacy for governor of Alabama on Tuesday, Jan. 4.
Qualifying as a Republican, he made his announcement at 2:22 p.m., a nod to his campaign slogan “Lew in 22.”
The event was held at King's Home in Chelsea, where Burdette, who lives in Liberty Park, has served as president of the nonprofit for the past 18 years. Prior to that, he was the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Books-A-Million.
Susie Burdette, Lew’s wife of 34 years, took the stage first and introduced herself and their three children along with their two spouses. She said being on the King's Home campus reminded her of transformation.
“Under my husband’s leadership, it's a different place than it was when we got here,” she said. “It was not reaching its full potential, then Lew went to work and gave King's Home what it needed. A leader and a fighter– and now it is thriving. It has reached new levels under his leadership and has made a difference in the lives of thousands of women and children."
Susie described her husband as a leader with a servant’s heart who puts God at the center of every decision, a hard worker and fighter and a man of transformation.
“Alabama is not living up to its potential,” she said. “We have so much more to offer in this state and Alabama needs a fighter. I believe my husband is the leader to take Alabama to the next level, just as he has here.”
Burdette then took the stage and said he was honored and thrilled to announce his candidacy to be Alabama’s next governor and was both excited and humbled.
“I'm running for governor because our state is hungry for fresh, strong, proven, common-sense leadership to see how things are done in Montgomery," Burdette said. "Hungry for a leader who has a career and experience in the real world, not another lifetime politician. Hungry for someone who loves this state and will relentlessly fight to improve the lives of all Alabamians and that is my heart.”
He said he has been told that running for governor as a political unknown is a mountain too tall to climb for him, but he said there’s not any mountain too tall to climb. He asked "where has voting for lifelong politicians gotten us in this state, except the bottom of education and healthcare and prisons," and "where we rank at the top is corruption. Alabama is the fourth most politically corrupt state in the country," he said.
“I've been told it will take a miracle for me to win this race. Read my story and you’ll believe why I know our God is a miracle worker,” he said. At the age of 15, Burdette was a victim of a violent crime. He was kidnapped, shot, stabbed and thrown in a well and left for dead.
"Battling for my life, I learned an invaluable lesson to never give up and believe that with God all things are possible," Burdette said. "God gave me the will to fight in the bottom of that well and I will fight for all Alabamians to do what's right.”
Burdette said his message for small business owners in Alabama is that no one will fight harder for them than he will. He started his own small business in 1999 and knows what it’s like to lose one, having suffered the loss of his small business in 2001.
“Unlike many politicians, I trust you to make the best decisions for your family," Burdette said. "Only you know how to best take care of yourself and your family, not the government. Small business owners have a friend in me and they will never be shut down again.”
For the last 18 years, Burdette said he has been fighting for abused youth, moms and kids fleeing domestic violence and said it’s been an honor of a lifetime to serve the kids at King's Home. He believes all kids deserve fighting for and he has seen how families are under attack.
“Today, I’m expanding my fight to stand up for all Alabamians against attacks from any who would want to steal our freedoms and corrupt our state,” he said.
As Alabama ranks as the fourth most corrupt state in the country, Burdette said he wants a complete overhaul of the way campaign contributions are made and that he would stop unlimited campaign contributions and not accept any donations to his campaign over $10,000.
“We need complete transparency with all campaign donations, not hiding behind some PAC we’ve never heard of," Burdette said. "That's what happens every election and it keeps lifetime politicians in office, and it’s a rigged system and the deck is stacked against candidates like me running for political office.
"Being elected to public services was not meant to be a lifelong career," Burdette said.
Burdette said he believes:
• Alabama residents need less government and less taxes out of Montgomery, not more
• Healthcare and education need much improvement in the state
• Alabama needs more higher-paying jobs
Describing himself as a "true conservative" and Republican, Burdette said it's time to stop picking sides and dividing people. He said both parties should work together and treat each other with respect.
“I will defend 25 amendments because I believe in our Constitution; you can count on me to be a strong leader and defend our rights and always do what it takes to keep our state strong and safe,” he said. “2022 will be the year that starts a new upward trajectory for our state. We will not accept being at the bottom any longer.”