Businessman and first-time candidate Brad Tompkins on Wednesday announced his run for Alabama House District 15.
House District 15, which includes parts of Hoover, Helena, McCalla, and Bessemer, is currently represented by Rep. Allen Farley, R-McCalla, who is not seeking reelection.
“I’ve never run for office before. This is not something I’ve been planning to do. But when I was approached and asked if I would consider serving in public service, I immediately knew that the time was right for me and my family to give back to our community,” Tompkins said in a statement. “As a business owner and a member of the Bessemer Industrial Development Board, I’ve seen firsthand how the government can help or hinder economic growth. I want to put my experience in the private sector to work for the people of Jefferson and Shelby counties, specifically in the areas of workforce development and recruiting new jobs to our area.”
Tompkins owns Automated Solutions, an engineering company that specializes in factory automation in Alabama.
“I am a conservative. I believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values, and a strong national defense,” Tompkins continued. “Capitalism and private enterprise create the greatest opportunity and the highest standard of living for all. Free markets produce more economic growth, more jobs, and higher standards of living than those systems burdened by excessive government regulation.”
Tompkins and his wife, Kaye, live in Bessemer with their two daughters.
Tompkins is joined in the Republican primary for House District 15 by Helena City Councilwoman and small business owner Leigh Hulsey.
