A black Republican by the name of Les Phillips is running for office in Alabama’s  District 5. According to wikipedia Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in Alabama, which elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It encompasses the counties of Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison and Jackson. It also includes parts of Morgan County.

It is currently represented by Democrat Parker Griffith who was elected in 2008 following the retirement of former Rep. Bud Cramer (D).

HHR NOTE: Despite the Democratic strength in the district at the local and state levels, George W. Bush still won 60% of the vote in this district in 2004. John McCain also carried the 5th District in 2008 with 60.91% of the vote while Barack Obama received 37.99%.

 About the Candidate (via) his website: http://www.lesphillip.com/

Les Phillip was born May 29, 1963, to Randolph and Elvina Phillip in the tiny Caribbean country of Trinidad – Tobago. The Family moved to St. Croix before immigrating to the United States.

After the plane ride from Trinidad to St. Croix, young Les was given a glimpse into his future. While traveling, he told his mother that he wanted to be a pilot. His mother accommodated her son’s aspiration by requesting that the pilot of their aircraft meet Les and explain to him what it would take to become a pilot someday. The pilot told Les to excel in math and science and fly in one of the branches of the U.S. military.

In 1971, the Phillip family came to the United States and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. Les graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a public school, in the spring of 1981. That summer, he would pursue his childhood dream and enter the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.  There, he met his wife, the former Merle Ford of Montclair, New Jersey. At the age of 26, Les achieved his goal and earned his Naval Aviator wings.

Over the next eight years, Les became the proud father of three wonderful daughters. He left the service in 1993 and pursued a career in the private sector. He and his wife currently own a business located in Madison, Alabama.

Les Phillip became involved in politics in 1984, just six years after becoming a naturalized citizen. While in the Naval Academy, he began developing his political identity, studying a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution that he received via a Phillip Morris advertising campaign. He soon realized how far the government had moved away from the design laid out by the founding fathers of our country.

After becoming a parent and working in the private sector Les became concerned with the daily struggles of middle-class America. He came to the realization that life is not just about where you are going but what you leave behind to your children and grandchildren.The simple  idea that his children might not  enjoy the same America that he and his parents longed for in 1971 is what inspired Les to become a public servant.

Les came to this country with a dream, an American dream. He fulfilled his dream of becoming a Naval Aviator, serving our country proudly, marrying his college sweetheart, raising three beautiful daughters and even operating a successful business. His story is an American success story, one of the stories that so often go untold. He knows first-hand how great this country is and how much greater it can be. He believes that we need a leader, a voice that can rally others to join his cause.

Les Phillip is the leader we need to preserve the life we enjoy in the Tennessee Valley. He is the voice that can get us back on track to restore America.

Restore Pride in America. Restore Our American Economy. Restore Our American Jobs, and, most importantly, Restore Our American Freedoms!

http://www.lesphillip.com/