The court-appointed special master that redrew Alabama’s Congressional Districts made the Congressional District 1 (CD1) much more conservative, White, and Republican-friendly in order to make the Second Congressional District (CD2) winnable for minority voters. This redistricting in CD1 has not deterred Mobile Democrat Tom Holmes, who has qualified to run for Congress in the district anyway.
Holmes is a licensed lay preacher with the Episcopal Diocese of Central Gulf Coast. He is also a volunteer Board President at The Arc of Mobile County.
Tom Holmes is a United States Navy Veteran who served during the Vietnam War era. He attends and is an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church.
During his career, Holmes was the Chief of Science and Technology Section for the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) from 1996-2001. He was a planning/economic development specialist for ADECA from 1979-1996. He was previously the director of the Area Agency on Aging for the Birmingham Regional Planning Commission from 1975-1979. He also worked for the Mobile County Probate Court as a personnel development specialist for the Anniston and Area Agency on Aging. He is also a former teacher at both Dunbar Junior High School and Murphy High School.
Holmes is actively involved in his community, including the Cottage Hill Civitan Club in Mobile, The Arc of Alabama, Boy Scouts of America, Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities, National Eagle Scout Association, and Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity.
Holmes has a master’s degree in public administration from Jacksonville State University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Mobile.
Holmes was the Democratic nominee for Alabama State Board of Education, District 1 in 2020, where he lost to Republican Jackie Zeigler. He was also the Democratic nominee for Alabama State Senate, District 35 in 2018 where he lost to Republican David Sessions.
Holmes was the only Democrat to qualify, so he is effectively the Democratic nominee for CD1. He will face the winner of the March 5 Republican primary in the general election on November 5.
Incumbent Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) faces Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) after Alabama’s congressional districts were redrawn by a court-appointed special master. Moore and his native Coffee County were redistricted into CD1. Most of the City of Mobile and the northernmost counties of CD1 were redistricted into CD2. In exchange, CD1 picked up the southern half of the wiregrass, including Enterprise and most of Dothan stretching along the Florida line all the way to the Georgia state line.
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