Jerome Dees is currently running for State House of Representatives for district 54. When I sat down to write this opinion piece I immediately went to Jerome Dees’ website and looked at his platform. I could write this opinion piece with rose-tinted glasses and copy Jerome Dees’ platform to this opinion. However, I am vehemently pessimistic about Alabama politics. This viewpoint is not uncommon amongst Alabama citizens who have experienced a few political cycles. Politicians always claim they will accomplish great feats that no one has ever accomplished before. Yet, Alabama remains one of the poorest and least educated States in the United States.
​Jerome Dees will have a difficulty making an impact on Alabama politics, but not for lack of effort or qualification. Jerome Dees is intelligent, hardworking, and principled. Nevertheless, making an impact on politics in Alabama is difficult because the state of Alabama politics is in near disrepair. Anyone elected will have trouble making Alabama great because corruption, gerrymandering, and misinformation reign supreme. Jerome Dees knows this and that is what I like about him. The only way to fix something that is broken is to know how it works in the first place. Jerome Dees knows Alabama. He knows the schools, the prisons, the courts, and the communities. Not because he has visited them in recent months for his campaign, but because it is his career. Jerome Dees may not be able to fulfill all or most of his campaign promises, but I know he is what Alabama needs in the State House. Jerome Dees’ is the new type of youthful politician the state of Alabama needs to finally lead the State House into the 21st century.