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2022 Senate candidates battle in first forum since they announced candidacy


ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WTVY) — For the first time, Republican candidates vying for one of Alabama’s U.S. senate seats took the stage together Wednesday.

At times the discussion became heated, Former U.S. candidate Roy Moore created some tense moments between candidates Katie Boyd Britt and congressman Mo Brooks.

From there they and Lydia Blanchard hit on a few divisive subjects.

Candidates vying for the U.S. senate seat in 2022 took up a number of contentious topics, one of them being mask requirements.

“I believe in liberty and freedom, you ought to be making your own decisions whether to wear a mask, or whether to have a vaccine,” said Mo Brooks, Alabama Senate Candidate. “There are pros and cons both ways, but if you believe in liberty and freedom, it’s a simple decision.”

“We can’t pit each other against each other,” said Lydia Blanchard, Alabama Senate Candidate. “When it was said the vaccinated and unvaccinated, we can’t pit our party, and then down to families against each other it’s personal choice that’s what the United States is all about.”

“The taking of those freedoms and liberties once the government takes them make no mistake, they will never give it back,” said Katie Britt, Alabama Senate Candidate. “That is why I was proud to stand and say let’s keep Alabama open in November of last year.”

Another topic, vaccine mandates for the military. Just Tuesday the Army announced their plan for COVID-19 mandate vaccines.

“You’re going to place laws and mandates and mandate someone and make a health choice for them who wants to serve our country, who answers the highest calling, who puts on the uniform? Absolutely not,” Britt continued. “We have to stand firm against that you have to stand firm against government overreach.”

“What we have to do is publicly fight as hard as we possibly can so that the public better understands what’s going on, because it’s going to take the fear of you the public, to get the socialists in Washington DC to do the right thing,” said Brooks.

“It’s just breathtaking that anyone would mandate anything like that on any of our servicemen,” Blanchard added. “What I would do, I would say, ‘Take me mock me, and I’ve got their back.’”

Other topics were how each candidate would make an impact in the senate if elected while being a fresh face and self-imposed term limits.

As we mentioned earlier, candidates Katie Boyd Britt and Congressman Mo Brooks got into a heated discussion involving former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore who lost to Doug Jones in 2016.

One candidate that has announced their intentions to run for the seat, Jessica Taylor, was not at Wednesday’s event.

The stream is a 2-part video. Both videos are in the story.

Copyright 2021 WTVY. All rights reserved.

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Read More: 2022 Senate candidates battle in first forum since they announced candidacy