BOLIGEE-Rev. James Carter is hoping on January 25, 2005 to shake up the political world.

He was born in the poorest county of the Black Belt; Carter was raised in a God-fearing, hard working family including his six brothers and sisters in the Greene County community of Boligee. He attended Paramount High School and graduated in 1979, and then he attended Tuskegee University for three years. He married in 1981 at the young age of 21, and then moved back home to work in his family’s construction and farming businesses.

“I’m no stranger to working hard because I’ve been doing it all my life,” Carter said.

He would enter into the ministry the same year he moved back to Greene County. He also was elected to serve two terms as a member of the Greene County Commission.

Carter is an African American, who is currently fighting the odds and defying the powers that be in the district by running as the Republican candidate for District 24. Senator Charles Steele vacated district 24’s seat in the Alabama State Senate earlier this year.

“The main person that pushed me to run for County Commissioner was my granddaddy,” Carter said, “My reaction to his push was one of surprise because he knew that preaching and politics didn’t mix very well, but I trusted in his wisdom and everything worked out.”

His grandfather told him that pastors must be leaders in the community and if more people in America didn’t start getting involved into politics than this country wouldn’t survive. It was also Carter’s grandfather, who told him that he needed to run as a Republican during the race.

“During my Commissioner race, the community really encouraged and supported me,” Carter said, “And I’m asking for that same level of support from the community this time.”

Carter won his very first election by only the marginal number of 11 votes.

“I want the people of District 24 to look at me and what I stand for and not what party I represent or belong to,” Carter said, “I stand for all the things that are right in this district and I know I had the best interests of the people in my heart.”

He decided to follow the wishes of his granddaddy and became a Republican. He truly feels the Democratic Party doesn’t share the same interests as himself and they don’t have the best interest of the common people at heart.

“I can’t be a part of an organization that supports abortion on demand,” Carter said.

He pastors at two churches both Mt. Horeb Missionary Baptist Church in Newbern, and Greater St. Stephens in Sawyerville are were he calls home.

“As a pastor, I’m faced with seeing the problems our people are going through on a regular basis and the only why to fix things is to start at the top and work your way down,” Carter said, “There are things everyone in the universe needs and they include jobs, a roof over their heads, quality schools, food to eat, a place to call home at night, and affordable healthcare.”