Addressing the students over barbecue, Griffith spoke out against Gov. Robert Bentley’s handling of issues such as Medicaid, education and job creation.
“Governor Robert Bentley, with an MD behind his name, is choosing to deny healthcare and the expansion of Medicaid to a state that’s fifth in obesity and second in cigarette consumption,” he said. “In education, we were promised a vote on an education lottery which we did not receive, and meanwhile, our eighth graders rank 49th in math.”
Griffith, a Huntsville resident has worked in oncology for the majority of his career, in addition to serving as a school teacher and then later as a state senator and then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The problem Alabama faces, Griffith said, is that it is represented by a fringe element that does not resemble ?its citizens.
“Our state legislature is almost 100 percent white and 95 percent male,” he said. “The state of Alabama doesn’t look like that, it looks like all of you, the future of this state.”
Admitting the race is an uphill battle, Griffith cited a specific strategy for garnering support and winning ?the governorship.
“We have to challenge Bentley to a debate, where he will have to publicly defend his stagnant job growth, denial of Medicaid and poor education policy,” he said. “Then, we have to present our positive ideas to solid Alabamians who will react positively to a message of progress and opportunity. Parties aren’t really relevant – we’re looking to appeal to people who are tired of the negativity coming from Montgomery.”
