Thank you to the Eastern Shore Republican Women for the opportunity to speak with you today. You are an amazing club. As Lieutenant Governor, I will improve the quality of life for Alabamians in the areas of industry recruitment and retention, workforce development, statewide infrastructure improvements, rural healthcare, and public safety. You matter to me. Together, we can Build a Better Alabama. #Our67 #FairhopeAL #BaldwinCounty Eastern Shore Republican Women
Below are several points I addressed that were not included in the coverage. ** If anyone has video of the entire meeting, please let us know. **
Opening statement: I mentioned how I have a background in business, contracts, and economic development and over the past 20 years, I have visited all 67 counties over 25 times, on my own dime, before asking for your vote. By meeting with my clients, families, and constituents in urban and rural areas, the same five key issues repeatedly came up, so I devised a plan called Build a Better Alabama. I want to utilize the office of Lieutenant Governor to improve the quality of life for Alabamians in the areas of industry recruitment and retention, workforce development, statewide infrastructure improvements, rural healthcare, and public safety. Industry recruitment and retention and workforce development go hand-in-hand. As Lieutenant Governor, I want to ensure that every Alabamian, from the high school student to the veteran, has a clear path to a good paying job. Why? When Alabamians are working, we all benefit. Employment keeps people off welfare, reduces recidivism, and gives a man or a women a sense of purpose by being able to pay for items with a paycheck that he or she has earned. Let's meet people where they are at and put them on a pathway to employment. Whether someone has a credential, a bachelors degree, a masters degree, or a PhD, that person is worthy and employable in Alabama's diverse industries. Our infrastructure is critical to industrial recruitment and retention as well as quality of life, which is why we must make smart, long-term investment in our highways, bridges, ports, and broadband. High-speed internet is essential to our telehealth and rural healthcare systems. I represent several physicians and know how to bring healthcare to Alabama. One of my clients is a mental health practitioner who participates in a program called TalkSpace; her patients have immediate access to a provider if in crisis, which was made possible by rural broadband. As Lieutenant Governor, I will ensure that our public safety officials - police, fire, sheriffs, military (directly and indirectly), and EMS - have access to the training, the tools, and the respect needed to protect and serve with excellence. They put their lives on the line for us, the least we can do is give them the tools they need to do their jobs. As Lieutenant Governor, I will develop policy-oriented solutions to help all Alabamians, no matter where you live.
Answers to questions posed by the moderator, derived from the audience [same format for all candidates]:
Infrastructure and Growth: I emphasized the importance of making smart, long-term, fiscally responsible decisions regarding infrastructure - roads, bridges, ports, and broadband. Sustainable economic growth requires balance so that communities across Alabama can prosper both now and in the future. As an economic developer, I know that it takes approximately 10 years from the time that a civil engineer draws out road plans to the time that constituents are actually driving on those highways.  In 2017, I served on a series of focus groups where we talked about how to connect our communities because then we connect our economy through infrastructure and rural broadband. As Lieutenant Governor, I will have a voice and be able to speak with our federal partners, whether it be our United States senators, our congressmen, President Trump, whomever the next President is, and the United States Department of Transportation to ensure that the taxpayer dollars that were already paying into Washington are brought back to the state of Alabama where they belong.
Economic Development Experience: When asked about economic growth, I explained that I am the most qualified candidate because economic development has been central to my entire career. I have worked directly in the field and have personally represented companies, large and small, that have chosen to locate, expand, and invest in Alabama. Infrastructure and workforce development are key requirements to their decisions. The private sector creates the jobs. The government’s role is to create an environment conducive for business and then get out of the way.
Parental Choice and Family Engagement: I emphasized that parents should have the freedom to choose what is best for their children, whether that is public school, private school, or homeschooling. Parents should remain the primary decision-makers in their children’s upbringing and well-being. I also stressed that parents must take an active interest in what is happening in their children’s lives - engage with them daily, limit excessive screen time, take them to church, go walking, hiking, etc., and make intentional time for family conversations, even if it is just 30 minutes at the dinner table. Looking children and spouses in the eye and having genuine conversations helps build strong families and raises responsible, productive citizens.
Healthy Families and SNAP Reform: I also discussed the need for a healthier Alabama. With more than 15% of Alabamians receiving SNAP benefits—among the highest rates in the nation—we should pursue reforms, including seeking a waiver that encourages more healthful food choices. Promoting better nutrition and active lifestyles can help prevent long-term health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke because these conditions are devastating for families and costly to our overall economy. I also discussed the importance of partnering with local farmers to expand access to fresh, nutritious foods and encouraging families to take advantage of farmers markets as a way to support Alabama agriculture while improving family nutrition.
Fiscal Responsibility in Government: When asked about fiscal responsibility, I spoke about my experience running a business, understanding what it means to run lean, and how that perspective informs my approach to government. We must examine how agencies and departments spend taxpayer dollars and ensure those funds serve the public good, not self-interest. Public officials have a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers, and that responsibility must be taken seriously.
In both my opening and closing statement, I mentioned that everything I advocate for I have done as a member of the private sector, either through my company, on a board or committee, or as an individual. That’s the experience we need in a lieutenant governor. I have done the work. Before ever asking for a vote, I visited all 67 counties over 25 times on my own dime over the course of two decades to learn the needs of our state.
In closing, I shared how I am pro life, pro faith, pro second amendment, a former board member of the Alabama Federation of Republican Women (AFRW), have served on numerous boards and committees in the areas of business, philanthropy, and conservative causes, and have volunteered with the Donald J. Trump campaign for all three of his elections, including two deployments to battleground states. As someone who is from the private sector, truly not a career politician, I have the professionalism necessary to steady the ship should something ever happen to our governor. I am not bound by political games, and I bring the experience and qualifications necessary to serve effectively as Alabama’s next Lieutenant Governor.
On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, I would be honored to earn your vote. You matter to me. Vote NICOLE Jones Wadsworth because together, we can Build a Better Alabama.
