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NH

Jerry

Carl

Republican
AL
-1
Mobile, Daphne, Fairhope
Jerry Carl

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Personal Background

Birthdate

6/17/58 (62)

Race/Ethnicity

Caucasian/White

Gender Identification

M

Religion

Christian

Family

Married, 3 children

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

One year at Lake City Community College

KEY HEALTH LINK

Carl started and owns several health care companies where the main payer is Medicare or Medicaid. Several of these companies are producers and distributors of medical equipment, and several are pharmacies. This includes Carl & Assoc., which has a focus on home health care equipment and specialty pharmacies; Family Respiratory Service and Bradberry Healthcare, which both focus on home health equipment; and Family Factor / ECM Home Health Company, which is a “specialty care pharmacy offering a full line of factor replacement medications and auxiliary supplies, education, and support for patients with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.”

Political/Professional Background

LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE

Mobile County Commissioner (3rd district), 2012-2020

2020 ELECTION CONTEXT

Carl earned the most votes in the Republican primary election but did not pass the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff election. In the runoff, Carl defeated fellow Republican Bill Hightower to win the nomination. Carl faced off against Democrat James Averhart in the general election to succeed retiring incumbent Bradley Byrne, who chose not to seek re-election in order to run for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate from Alabama.

INCUMBENT REPLACED

Bradley Byrne (R), declined re-election to seek Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Alabama

MOST RECENT PROFESSION

Mobile County Commissioner (3rd district); business owner

POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY

Carl is an entrepreneurial business owner who leads several small companies whose interests range from real estate to timberland and home medical supplies. Carl was first elected to office in 2012 as a Mobile County Commissioner, where he took the seat of president in 2019.

On The Issues

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

In April 2020, Carl called on Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall to sue China for their mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Carl said, "The Chinese government and its top institutions need to be held accountable for the nefarious role they have played in the spread of the coronavirus...China has not only lied about the origination and spread of the virus, but they have also resorted to silencing whistleblowers and hoarding PPE. I am urging Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall to file a lawsuit against China to hold them accountable for their actions. Because of China’s lies, Americans have died.”

HEALTH COVERAGE

Carl wants to repeal and replace ACA. He has stated that he will "oppose any efforts that would create a big government, Medicare for all system," and that he "instead supports efforts for a personalized, patient-centered approach that ensures competition, covers pre-existing conditions, and lowers the costs of health care premiums." In addition, Carl has said he intends to work to "allow small-businesses to work together and buy insurance across state lines so they are not hurt by costly state-mandated laws driving up premiums."

MARIJUANA

Carl opposes the legalization of marijuana.

MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION

Carl "supports legislation for survivors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to receive treatment of their choice outside the VA system." In 2018, Carl voted with the other County Commissioners to join a lawsuit against companies that make and distribute opioid pain medications. Carl said, "I own a pharmacy and understand the importance of following federal law...Manufacturers and distributors who skirt the law and ignore reporting large, suspicious shipments month after month have created this problem and must be held responsible." As commissioner, Carl worked to help the local jail receive extra funding and support after it saw an influx in inmates with mental illness after local psychiatric hospitals shut down.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

In 2014, Mobile County workers filed a grievance with the commission after complaints about prescription costs. Carl said, "The employees did get upset about it. We addressed most of the issues. I continue to fight on that. I've addressed Blue Cross Blue Shield. We've got some changes made in diabetic drugs that were extremely expensive. We got some minor changes."

VETERANS HEALTH CARE

Carl has said that as a member of Congress he "will fight to help Veterans navigate the federal bureaucracy of health care and believes we must continue expanding ways for Veterans to receive health care from private doctors," adding that he "supports legislation for survivors of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to receive treatment of their choice outside the VA system."

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Carl has said that he is "100% pro-life, and will always fight for life." Carl opposes any funding for Planned Parenthood, "supports promoting adoption services and will seek to remove the barriers which could place children in loving homes."

OTHER HEALTH CARE ISSUES

Carl successfully lobbied for Medicare to cover home asthma treatments after watching Medicare beneficiaries go to the hospital for treatment because the drugs were not covered at home (this was prior to Part D).

DID YOU KNOW?

Carl is a hunter, fisherman, skydiver, scuba diver and airplane pilot.