Jerry Carl
{{Short description|American politician (born 1958)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jerry Carl
| image = Rep. Jerry Carl official photo.jpg
| state = Alabama
| district = {{ushr|AL|1|1st}}
| term_start = January 3, 2021
| term_end = January 3, 2025
| predecessor = Bradley Byrne
| successor = Barry Moore (redistricted)
| birth_name = Jerry Lee Carl
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|6|17}}
| birth_place = Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| spouse = {{marriage|Tina Carl|1981}}
| children = 2
| education = Florida Gateway College
| signature = Jerrycarlsig.png
}}
Jerry Lee Carl Jr. (born June 17, 1958){{cite web|title=Rep.-elect Jerry Carl (R-Ala.-01)|url=https://thehill.com/new-members-guide-2020/527555-rep-elect-jerry-carl-r-ala-01|date=November 30, 2020|work=The Hill|access-date=December 4, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H0AL01055/|title=CARL, JERRY LEE, JR – Candidate overview|website=FEC.gov}} is an American politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative for Alabama's 1st congressional district from 2021 to 2025. The district is based in Mobile, and includes all of the state's share of the Gulf Coast. A Republican, Carl served as a member of the Mobile County Commission from 2012 to 2020, the last two years as president of the commission.
In 2019, Carl announced his candidacy for the House seat being vacated by incumbent Republican Bradley Byrne. He defeated former state senator Bill Hightower in a runoff for the Republican nomination and Democrat James Averhart in the general election. He was reelected in 2022, defeating Libertarian candidate Alexander Remrey; no Democrat filed to run.
In 2024, following redistricting as a result of Allen v. Milligan, Carl ran against fellow incumbent representative Barry Moore in the Republican primary and lost renomination.{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Trent |date=March 5, 2024 |title=Live Updates: Alabama Super Tuesday |url=https://1819news.com/news/item/live-updates-alabama-super-tuesday |access-date=March 5, 2024 |work=1819 News}} He has filed paperwork to run against Moore again in 2026.{{Cite web |title=FEC Form 2 for Report FEC-1848857 |url=https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/forms/H8AL02171/1848857/ |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=docquery.fec.gov}}
Early life and education
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Carl graduated from Sylacauga High School in 1977. He attended Lake City Community College (now Florida Gateway College) for a time, but left to move back to Mobile and start his first business.{{Cite web|date=July 2, 2012|title=Jerry Carl|url=https://algop.org/jerry-carl/|access-date=June 7, 2020|website=Alabama Republican Party|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sylacauganews.com/local/1500-jobs-coming-alabama-amazon-plans-open-states-first-sorting-center|title=1,500 jobs coming to Alabama as Amazon plans to open state's first sorting center|first=Michael|last=Brannon|date=June 5, 2017|website=Sylacauga News}}
Career
After leaving community college, Carl worked for Alabama Power. He then worked for Burford Equipment Company and as a salesman for various companies in Mobile. In 1989, Carl established Stat Medical, a healthcare equipment business. He later worked as a manager at Rotech Medical before establishing a real estate development firm. Carl founded Carl and Associates, a management group, in 2003. He then started Cricket and Butterfly, LLC, a lumber and timber company.
Carl ran for Mobile County Commission in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/live/2012/04/jerry_carl_running_on_his_busi.html|title=Jerry Carl running on his business accomplishments in bid to top Mike Dean|first=Robert|last=McClendon|date=April 16, 2012|website=AL.com}} He defeated incumbent Mike Dean in the Republican primary election in April,{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/live/2012/04/mobile_county_commission_mike.html|title=Mobile County Commission: Mike Dean concedes to Jerry Carl (photo gallery)|first=Robert|last=McClendon|date=April 25, 2012|website=AL.com}} and won the general election in November.{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/live/2012/11/businessman_jerry_carl_wins_di.html|title=Businessman Jerry Carl wins District 3 Mobile County commissioner seat|date=November 7, 2012|website=AL.com}} He was reelected over Margie Wilcox in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2016/03/carl_claims_victory_in_mobile.html|title=Carl claims victory in Mobile County Commission race|date=March 2, 2016|website=AL.com}} In 2019, Carl was selected to serve as Commission President.{{Cite web|title=Jerry Carl named new County Commission president|url=https://www.fox10tv.com/news/jerry-carl-named-new-county-commission-president/article_7efaa150-aeeb-11e9-8b80-6b18ed6eaf28.html|access-date=June 7, 2020|website=FOX10 News|language=en}}
U.S. House of Representatives
= Elections =
== 2020 ==
{{Main|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama#District 1}}
In June 2020, Carl announced he would run for the 1st district, which was being vacated by incumbent and fellow Republican Bradley Byrne. He faced former state senator Bill Hightower, State Representative Chris Pringle, and two others in the Republican primary. Carl narrowly defeated Hightower in the primary, and they went to a runoff election.{{Cite web|title=Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl announces run for Congress|url=https://www.fox10tv.com/news/mobile-county-commissioner-jerry-carl-announces-run-for-congress/article_2c2c4d3e-3ac4-11e9-9a4d-e72ec64ac63b.html|access-date=June 7, 2020|website=FOX10 News|language=en}}{{Cite news|title=Alabama Primary Election Results: First House District|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|date=March 3, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/03/us/elections/results-alabama-house-district-1-primary-election.html|access-date=June 7, 2020|issn=0362-4331}} Carl defeated Democratic nominee James Averhart in the general election with 64.4% of the vote.{{cite news |title=Alabama Election Results: First Congressional District |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-alabama-house-district-1.html |website=The New York Times |date=November 3, 2020 |access-date=11 February 2021}} The 1st has been in Republican hands without interruption since 1965, and the Democrats have only managed 40% of the vote once since then.{{cn|date=June 2023}}
The 1st typically gives its incumbents very long tenures in Washington. When Carl took office on January 2, 2021, he became only the seventh person to hold the seat since 1919; all but one of his six predecessors held it for at least 10 years.{{cn|date=June 2023}}
== 2022 ==
{{Main|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama#District 1}}
Carl was reelected in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Tindell |first1=Lisa |title=Carl announces run for reelection |url=https://www.brewtonstandard.com/2022/01/04/carl-announces-run-for-reelection/ |access-date=January 4, 2022 |website=www.brewtonstandard.com|date=January 4, 2022 }}{{cite web |title=Alert: Republican Jerry Carl wins reelection to U.S. House in Alabama's 1st Congressional District |url=https://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/Alert-Republican-Jerry-Carl-wins-reelection-to-17570488.php |access-date=18 November 2022 |date=9 November 2022 |archive-date=November 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221118211153/https://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/Alert-Republican-Jerry-Carl-wins-reelection-to-17570488.php |url-status=dead }}
== 2024 ==
{{Main|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama#District 1}}
In 2024, redistricting as a result of Allen v. Milligan placed both Carl and fellow incumbent representative Barry Moore in the same district, setting up a primary in which Carl and Moore were both incumbents pitted against each other in the 1st district.{{Cite web|url=https://yellowhammernews.com/carl-announces-reelection-bid-after-fed-proposed-map-signals-primary-with-moore/|title=Carl announces reelection bid after Fed-proposed map signals primary with Moore|last=Everett|first=Grayson|work=Yellowhammer News|date=September 26, 2023|access-date=September 26, 2023}} On October 30, 2023, Moore confirmed to 1819 News that he would run in the first congressional district, challenging Carl in the Republican primary.{{Cite web|url=https://1819news.com/news/item/barry-moore-to-challenge-jerry-carl-for-district-1-seat-i-am-a-true-conservative-and-the-system-doesnt-like-a-true-conservative|title=Barry Moore to challenge Jerry Carl for District 1 seat: 'I am a true conservative, and the system doesn't like a true conservative'|last=Taylor|first=Caleb|work=1819 News|date=October 30, 2023|access-date=October 30, 2023}}
The new 1st was more Carl's district than Moore's; Carl retained over 60 percent of his former territory. Despite this, in the Republican primary on March 5, 2024, Carl lost the Republican nomination to Moore by 3.4%.
=Tenure=
==117th Congress (2021–2023)==
One of Carl's first votes upon joining Congress was opposing the second impeachment of Donald Trump. He said he voted against impeachment because he believed the articles of impeachment "failed to reach the necessary threshold for impeachment." He also called impeachment "Nancy Pelosi's personal vendetta against President Trump."{{cite news |title=Rep. Jerry Carl explains his vote against impeaching Trump |url=https://www.fox10tv.com/news/mobile_county/rep-jerry-carl-explains-his-vote-against-impeaching-trump/article_27334122-55eb-11eb-a1fc-2bc4d292de89.html |access-date=8 March 2021 |work=FOX10 News |date=13 January 2021 |language=en}} Carl voted against the American Rescue Plan in March 2021, saying the bill was rushed after the passing of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and that it was too big and would add to the increasing national debt.{{cite news |last1=Moseley |first1=Brandon |title=Carl votes against Democrats' $1.9 trillion budget framework |url=https://www.alreporter.com/2021/02/08/carl-votes-against-democrats-1-9-trillion-budget-framework/ |access-date=8 March 2021 |work=Alabama Political Reporter |date=8 February 2021}}
As of January 2023, Carl had voted in line with Joe Biden's stated position 9.7% of the time.{{cite web |last1=Bycoffe |first1=Anna Wiederkehr and Aaron |title=Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden? |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/jerry-l-carl/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508155418/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/jerry-l-carl/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 8, 2021 |website=FiveThirtyEight |access-date=19 June 2023|language=en |date=2021-10-22}}
= Committee assignments =
For the 118th Congress:{{cite web |title=Congressional Directory, 2023–2024 |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDIR-2024-04-25/pdf/CDIR-2024-04-25.pdf |website=GovInfo |publisher=Government Publishing Office |access-date=11 May 2025}}
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
- Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- Committee on Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs
- Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries
= Caucus memberships =
Political positions
Carl is a self-described conservative.{{Cite web|date=2020-02-03|title=Jerry Carl releases second TV ad in AL-01, pledges to 'end handouts for lawbreaking illegals'|url=https://yellowhammernews.com/jerry-carl-releases-second-tv-ad-in-al-01-pledges-to-end-handouts-for-lawbreaking-illegals/|access-date=2021-03-07|website=Yellowhammer News|language=en-US}}
= Abortion =
Carl is anti-abortion, saying in a campaign advertisement that "it's immoral to stop a beating heart". He has similarly promised to "protect the unborn." Carl called Roe v. Wade "disastrous" and supported its overturning in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Carl |first1=Jerry |title="I applaud the Supreme Court for overturning the disastrous Roe v. Wade decision! "The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives."" |url=https://mobile.twitter.com/RepJerryCarl/status/1540345930435727360 |website=Twitter |access-date=25 June 2022 |language=en}}
=Economy=
During the 2023 United States debt-ceiling crisis, Carl voted for the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/31/us/politics/house-debt-limit-live-vote.html|title=Raising the Debt Limit: See Who Voted For and Against|work=The New York Times|date=May 31, 2023|access-date=May 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601015111/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/31/us/politics/house-debt-limit-live-vote.html|archive-date=June 1, 2023}}{{Subscription required|date=September 2023}}
= Immigration =
=Israel=
Carl says that Israel is "America's most important regional ally."{{Cite web|date=2022-02-21|title=Carl: Israel is America's most important regional ally |url=https://yellowhammernews.com/carl-israel-is-americas-most-important-regional-ally/|access-date=2023-06-03|website=Yellowhammer News|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221180309/https://yellowhammernews.com/carl-israel-is-americas-most-important-regional-ally|archive-date=2022-02-21|url-status=live}} He supports its right to defend itself. He voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.{{Cite news |last=Demirjian |first=Karoun |date=2023-10-25 |title=House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/us/politics/house-israel-vote.html |access-date=2023-10-30 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last1=Washington |first1=U. S. Capitol Room H154 |last2=p:225-7000 |first2=DC 20515-6601 |date=2023-10-25 |title=Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023528 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |language=en}}
= Gun control =
Carl has said, "As a conservative, I'll stop liberals from destroying the Second Amendment." In 2020, the NRA Political Victory Fund graded Carl "AQ" and endorsed him.{{cite web |title=NRA-PVF {{!}} Grades {{!}} Alabama |url=https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/Alabama/ |website=nrapvf.org |publisher=NRA-PVF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103162529/https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/Alabama/ |archive-date=November 3, 2020 |language=en-US |url-status=usurped}}{{Cite web|title=Your vote defends freedom! – Please vote Jerry Carl for U.S. House!|url=https://www.nrapvf.org/emails/2020/alabama/jerry-carl-al-01-general/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004002350/https://www.nrapvf.org/emails/2020/alabama/jerry-carl-al-01-general/|archive-date=2021-10-04|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-07|website=www.nrapvf.org|language=en-US}} He was given an "A" grade and endorsed in 2022.{{cite web |title=NRA-PVF {{!}} Grades {{!}} Alabama |url=https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/Alabama/ |website=nrapvf.org |publisher=NRA-PVF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108111323/https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/alabama |archive-date=November 8, 2022 |language=en-US |url-status=usurped}}
= Impeachment of Donald Trump =
Carl voted against the second impeachment of Donald Trump, and voted to object to Pennsylvania's and Arizona's electors during the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count.{{Cite web|last=Bycoffe|first=Aaron|date=2017-01-30|title=Tracking Congress In The Age Of Trump|url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130161612/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 30, 2017|access-date=2021-03-07|website=FiveThirtyEight|language=en}}
= Climate change =
Carl opposed President Joe Biden's moratorium on oil and gas production, saying it would destroy as many as 24,000 jobs in Alabama.{{Cite web|last=Brandon Moseley|date=2021-01-29|title=Carl says Biden's moratorium on oil and gas leases on public lands will cost jobs|url=https://www.alreporter.com/2021/01/29/carl-says-bidens-moratorium-on-oil-and-gas-leases-on-public-lands-will-cost-jobs/|access-date=2021-03-07|website=Alabama Political Reporter|language=en-US}}
= Vote to overturn 2020 election =
On January 6, 2021, Carl was one of 147 Republican lawmakers who voted to overturn results in the 2020 presidential election.{{Cite news|last1=Yourish|first1=Karen|last2=Buchanan|first2=Larry|last3=Lu|first3=Denise|date=2021-01-07|title=The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html|access-date=2021-07-01|issn=0362-4331}}
Electoral history
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|+ {{sronly|Electoral history of Jerry Carl}} ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Year ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Office ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=6 | Primary ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=3 | General ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Result ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Swing |
| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total
! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | % ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|2=Position|P}}. ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Runoff ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | % ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|2=Position|P}}. ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | % ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|2=Position|P}}. |
|---|
| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2020
| rowspan=2 | U.S. Representative | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| | 38,359 | 38.71% | 1st | 44,421 | 52.28% | 1st | 211,825 | 64.37% | 1st | {{yes2|Won}} | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| | Hold |
| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2022
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| | colspan=6 {{CNone}} | 140,592 | 83.61% | 1st | {{yes2|Won}} | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| | Hold |
| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=16 | |
Personal life
Carl married Tina in 1981, and they have two children.{{cite news |title=Coastal 150 endorses Jerry Carl for Congress |url=https://www.alreporter.com/2020/06/04/coastal-150-endorses-jerry-carl-for-congress/ |access-date=14 November 2020 |work=Alabama Political Reporter |date=4 June 2020}} Carl is a Baptist.{{Cite report |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/12/PF_2023.01.03_congress_LIST.pdf |title=Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress |date=2023-01-03 |publisher=Pew Research Center |access-date=2023-04-08}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://carl.house.gov Representative Jerry Carl] official U.S. House website
- [https://twitter.com/repjerrycarl Rep. Jerry Carl] official U.S House twitter
- [https://jerrycarlforcongress.com/ Jerry Carl for Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320070212/https://jerrycarlforcongress.com/ |date=March 20, 2022 }}
- {{CongLinks | congbio=C001054| votesmart=143749| fec=H0AL01055 | congress=jerry-carl/C001054}}
- {{Ballotpedia|Jerry_Carl|Jerry Carl}}
- {{C-SPAN|127943}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Bradley Byrne}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 1st congressional district|years=2021–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=Barry Moore}}
|-
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=Bob Dold|as=Former US Representative}}
{{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States
{{small|as Former US Representative}}|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=Tom Andrews|as=Former US Representative}}
{{s-end}}
{{USCongRep-start |congresses=117th–118th United States Congresses |state=Alabama}}
{{USCongRep/AL/117}}
{{USCongRep/AL/118}}
{{USCongRep-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carl, Jerry}}
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century Alabama politicians
Category:21st-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
Category:Baptists from Alabama
Category:Businesspeople from Alabama
Category:County commissioners in Alabama
Category:Florida Gateway College alumni
Category:Politicians from Mobile, Alabama
Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama